Nursing shortages force bed closures at Durham Hospital
Last week, South Bruce Grey Health Centre (SBGHC) made the decision to transition 10 inpatient beds currently at the Durham Hospital to the Walkerton and Kincardine sites.
In a press release, Meghan Legge, the director of quality and engagement stated, "This is due to a critical shortage of staff, which is anticipated to intensify during the summer season and will come into effect on June 3."
"We understand your concerns and want to assure you that this decision was made with the safety of our patients and staff top of mind," the release said.
The South Bruce Grey Health Centre leadership team and board of directors reviewed options before coming to this decision.
The decision to transfer patients stems from staffing shortages in both inpatient care and emergency services at the Durham site.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
In the past six months, South Bruce Grey has received 16 applications for registered nursing positions in Durham.
12 of these applications were from out of the country or out of the region applicants who were not aware of the location of the job and were not interested in relocating or interviewing.
Of the four other applicants, one did not meet the hiring requirements for the positions, two are currently in the interview process, and one was hired.
"We have been undertaking recruitment initiatives for years and have been complementing our staffing with agency nurses," the press release stated.
Hospital staff said they are committed to keeping the Durham site open and providing care at that site to the community.
Patients in need of urgent medical attention can continue to access the Durham site daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SBGHC is continuing to work with the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health to ensure health care remains in the community.
Changes are not taking place until June 3, but the hospital cooperative needs to ensure it has made arrangements before the summer arrives, as it does not have enough staff to keep both inpatient and emergency services open.
SBGHC will host a community webinar on May 14. Details are expected to be shared soon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Jury in Donald Trump's hush money trial reaches verdict; expected to be read soon
The jury in Donald Trump's hush money trial has reached a verdict, signalling a highly anticipated culmination of the first criminal case against a former American president.
NDP wants Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
A pair enjoyed pricey meals and bolted when it was time to pay. Their dine and dash ended in jail
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
'I didn't think it was real': Oilers fans score free Game 4 tickets from stranger
There's always something to be happy about when the Edmonton Oilers are making good strides in the playoffs, but this is especially true for two lucky fans who were able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Game 4 — for free.
Man stabbed in both legs with a machete in Times Square
A man was stabbed in both legs with a machete at New York's Times Square on Thursday afternoon, police said.
Doug Ford suggests immigrants behind Jewish school shooting
Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested immigrants are to blame for the shooting of an empty Jewish school in Toronto over the weekend, despite police saying they have little information on the suspects.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
Shania Twain shares how she forgave her ex-husband's cheating: 'It's his mistake'
Shania Twain recently addressed the infidelity that rocked her marriage to Robert 'Mutt' Lange, whom she divorced in 2010 after he had an affair with her friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud.
Melanie Joly 'forward-leaning' in debate on Ukraine using NATO arms inside Russia
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is suggesting Canada would support a policy of allowing Ukraine to use NATO-provided arms inside Russia.