Endoscopy services, which were closed as part of the move to the new Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife and further delayed in reopening do to staffing challenges, will resume immediately.
According to a new release issued Thursday by the department of health and social services – Endoscopy services will resume in a phased approach, with patients who have had their endoscopy procedures referred out and accepted at other sites in Inuvik or Edmonton continuing with those referred appointments.
Stanton will be undertaking endoscopic procedures that are most appropriate – based on the regular triage process.
Some endoscopy procedures will continue to be referred to Alberta, as was the case before the closure.
Patients will be contacted in phases as appointments become available, noting that this is the first time endoscopy services will be provided in the new hospital so service volumes will ramp up over time.
The service resumption has been made possible by a mix of locum nursing resources and the training of nursing staff who work at Stanton to ensure they have the specialized skills required to deliver this service.
Further staff training is ongoing to add capacity to the program as service volumes ramp up.