Hospital services are slowly returning to normal, but the situation is much different in eastern and northern Nova Scotia due to the heavy snow and poor road conditions.

Hospitals in those zones will focus on emergency services on Tuesday.

It’s the second straight day elective surgeries and other non-emergency procedures are being delayed.

Patients are being asked to consider the nature of their appointment and whether it can be rescheduled.

Eastern Zone (Cape Breton Island, Antigonish & Guysborough)

• Emergency surgeries only Tuesday; elective surgical procedures and endoscopies are cancelled.
• Appointments for outpatient lab and diagnostic imaging (X-Ray, MRI, CT, etc.) appointments are cancelled.
• Ambulatory care clinics, rehab outpatient clinics (including Obesity Care Clinic) and outpatient clinics are cancelled.
• Cancer care clinics and services will be provided as scheduled with virtual care provided as appropriate.
• Palliative care outpatient clinics and home visits are cancelled. Virtual care will be provided as appropriate.
• Mental Health and Addictions outpatient clinics are cancelled. Virtual follow-up will occur as appropriate.
• Adult Day Programs are closed.
• Renal dialysis will be provided as scheduled. Patients are asked to phone ahead before their appointments.
• Primary care collaborative care clinics in CBRM will remain closed and offer virtual care as appropriate. Patients will be contacted. Primary care in Antigonish and rural communities will be mainly virtual with some in-person care as appropriate. Patients will be contacted about their appointments.
• Diabetes Education Centres/Clinics will provide care virtually as appropriate, and patients will be contacted directly.
• Public Health clinics, home visits, or community visits will be cancelled. Public Health Mobile Unit clinics will also be cancelled in Eastern Zone this week: Whitney Pier Legion – Tuesday, Feb. 6 and Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre – Wednesday, Feb. 7
• Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) in North Sydney and Baddeck will be open.

Northern Zone: 

• Services and programs in the Northern Zone will largely operate business as usual on Tuesday. Efforts are underway to restore normal operations, but some service reductions may continue.
• Surgery cases at our regional hospitals will be assessed individually to determine whether they can proceed, and patients will be contacted directly.
• Some patients may be contacted in the case of cancelations or to offer a virtual alternative.

Central Zone: business as usual

Western Zone: business as usual

Visit www.nshealth.ca/temporaryclosures for the most up-to-date closures and service changes.

While the focus remains on emergency and urgent care in Eastern zone, staff are expected to report to work as scheduled and could be asked to support other services with care. Zone leaders will be assessing service levels throughout Tuesday and will provide an update.