(Yellowknife, June 4, 2025) - The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) understands the importance of keeping residents informed about service reductions across the territory. We also recognize the public's interest in understanding the contingency plans in place for the Emergency Department (ED) at Stanton Territorial Hospital (STH), particularly during times when staffing levels fall below optimal levels. To help address concerns and ensure transparency, the NTHSSA is sharing the following information for your awareness.  

• As the referral site and entry-point to higher level of care for all residents of the Northwest Territories (NWT) and Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut, the NTHSSA will always aim to maintain access to services in the STH ED.   
• To ensure ED access during periods of staff shortage, shift coverage may sometimes need to be adjusted. These alternate staffing approaches may include:  
• • Staffing with 12-hour physician shifts, rather than the existing 8-hour shift preferred model. These extended shifts will be supported by on-call specialists and other health care providers as needed to maintain safe and effective patient care. The NTHSSA acknowledges that this is not an ideal or sustainable long-term solution, but it is a necessary short-term mitigation measure to ensure continuity of care during this period. 
• • Staffing may include one or more physicians who typically work in lower-volume emergency departments, such as those in Inuvik or Hay River, or by adding more family physicians to the shift schedule. In these cases, we also adjust the level of support by coordinating with on-call physicians and specialists to ensure they are more readily available. 
• • To maintain services, it may also mean adding more nurses, paramedics and/or respiratory therapists to the support flow of patients, and when necessary, redeploying staff from other service areas across the system. This may mean service reductions in other program areas, but these combined efforts will help to sustain critical emergency services while mitigating impacts on staff and overall service delivery. 
• • And as a last resort, NTHSSA would weigh the impact of recalling staff from leave.   

Some of these strategies have been used previously during unexpected shortages and the NTHSSA has refined its approach and planning, including taking a more proactive planning approach. The NTHSSA will continue to work hard to avoid the use of these contingencies, but we know with summer months approaching, staffing will remain a challenge, and these plans may need to be implemented from time-to-time.    

The NTHSSA will also continue to leverage lessons from past system challenges to explore innovative care models that can help address staffing challenges and enhance service and program delivery. This includes assessing virtual care options, which may offer short-term clinical support and improve access to services. Engagement with staff will be required to determine the most effective approach to this, and updates will be provided to the public as this work progresses.  

We understand that these challenges may also mean longer wait times in the ED, and this can be frustrating. The NTHSSA sincerely appreciates your patience and understanding during this time and ask residents to please be kind to staff who are working hard to maintain these important services. While staffing challenges may affect how quickly you are seen, please rest assured that your health and safety remain the top priority. Every patient will continue to receive safe, compassionate care, and those with the most urgent needs will always be prioritized using the triage system.   

We thank you for your understanding, and we want you to reassure all residents that if you find yourself in need of emergent care, that you are in good hands. 

How does triaging work?  

At STH, staff follow the Canadian Tirage and Acuity Scale National guidelines (CTAS). The CTAS groups patients according to the severity of their condition. This information can help you understand why someone who arrived after you might be seen first. 

• Level 1 means that a person’s life is in danger or could get worse very quickly, so they need urgent treatment right away. Examples include cases of cardiac arrest, major trauma, or shock that require immediate physician attention.   
• Level 2 means the person needs urgent care for a serious problem that could threaten their life or ability to move, like a head injury, chest pain, or internal bleeding, and they should see a doctor as soon as possible.   
• Level 3 means the person needs urgent care for a condition that could become more serious, like mild to moderate asthma, moderate trauma, or vomiting and diarrhea in children under 2.  
• Level 4 means the person needs less-urgent care for issues that could get worse or cause problems if not treated, like urinary symptoms, mild abdominal pain, or an earache. The wait times for these are typically longer, but still require the attention of a health care provider.   
• Level 5 means the person needs non-urgent care for issues that can wait or be handled elsewhere, like a sore throat, chronic conditions, or psychiatric concerns and wait times for these can be quite lengthy.   

The NTHSSA would also like to remind residents that for non-urgent health needs, you can contact 811 to speak with a registered nurse and get guidance related to your current health situation, mental wellness, addiction recovery or to get in touch with poison control, if needed.  

For media requests, please contact:  

NTHSSA Communications 

nthssacomms@gov.nt.ca  

(867) 767-9107 ext. 40116