October 31,2025
RED FM News Desk
A Lower Mainland hospital will divert patients from its emergency department on Halloween night due to a shortage of physicians.
Fraser Health announced that Mission Memorial Hospital will experience a “temporary service interruption” from 5 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday.
During that period, there will be no doctors on duty in the emergency department. Nurses will remain on site to provide basic care for walk-in patients, help redirect care, and arrange transfers for those requiring urgent medical attention. All other hospital services will continue to operate as usual.
Fraser Health said anyone arriving at the emergency room before 5 p.m. will still be seen by a doctor before the shift ends at 11 p.m.
“We understand how important consistent access to emergency care is for the Mission community,” the health authority said in a statement issued Friday afternoon. “We are actively working to address physician staffing gaps as they arise to maintain service continuity.”
Fraser Health added that if additional service interruptions become necessary, it will notify the community in advance.
The authority also advised that anyone experiencing a life-threatening emergency should call 911 for transport to the nearest available hospital. While emergency departments at other regional hospitals remain open, Fraser Health cautioned that high patient volumes and ongoing staffing challenges could result in longer wait times.
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