The emergency department at Winnipeg’s Seven Oaks Hospital will transition to an urgent care centre on July 22, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority announced Tuesday.
The change in the timeline for the closure comes after the WRHA recommended it happen over the summer.
In June, a spokesperson told CTV News: “Based on the current assessment and to ensure patient safety and safe staffing levels, we are recommending that the conversion occur over the summer.”
READ MORE: Seven Oaks ER closure should be moved up to summer: WRHA
Previously, the provincial government scheduled the ER to close in September.
Urgent care facilities are designed to treat urgent, but not life-threatening health concerns, like injuries or illnesses that can’t wait for an appointment.
The ER closure comes as part of a plan from the Pallister government to overhaul the health care system according to recommendations laid out by consultant Dr. David Peachey.
In the past, the Manitoba NDP and the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, the union that represents health care workers, voiced strong opposition to calls for an early closure.
Manitoba NDP leader Wab Kinew said Tuesday the closure of the ERs around the city is damaging to the system.
“They have to rush forward with these plans because they’re short staffed and this is a direct result of all the other cuts that they’ve been making in Winnipeg and to health care across Manitoba," he said. "It’s irresponsible and it will lead to worse outcomes for patients.”
Kinew promised to "repair the damage" if he's elected as premier in September.
READ MORE: Concordia ER now an urgent care centre
