The Chesley Hospital is closing it’s emergency room from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., starting this Saturday.

Officials say a lack of nurses is to blame for the closure.

A similar “overnight” closure of the Seaforth Hospital’s emergency room happened in 2009. It lasted until 2011.

Officials with the South Bruce Grey Health Centre say the ER will remain closed overnight until at least February 2020, when they’ll re-examine the situation.

Officials say over 85 per cent of Chesley’s ER patients come during the day, so they’re optimistic the closure will not be too much of an inconvenience for residents.