Mental health emergencies to be diverted from Waterford Hospital temporarily

Anyone in need of an emergency psychiatric assessment at the Waterford Hospital in St. John's will instead need to go to the emergency room at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital beginning next week.

In a press release Thursday afternoon, Eastern Health said the emergency walk-in services normally available at the psychiatric assessment unit at the Waterford Hospital will be diverted from Dec. 28 at 9 a.m. until Jan. 17 at 9 a.m.

Instead, patients should go to St. Clare's for an initial assessment, and may still be transferred to the Waterford Hospital for a psychiatric consultation.

"Eastern Health thanks the public and employees for their cooperation and understanding as we focus on the safe delivery of care for patients," said the health authority.

Eastern Health clarified Friday that the reason for the diversion is staffing.

"The temporary diversion is in place to facilitate appropriate staffing levels during the holiday season and has been implemented in order to provide safe patient care during this time," said an Eastern Health spokesperson by email.

The pediatric assessment unit is a mental health emergency unit at Waterford Hospital that provides assessment of urgent mental health concerns on a walk-in basis, according to the Eastern Health website.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador