Clinton Public Hospital temporarily closes emergency department due to staffing shortage
The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance shut down the emergency department at the Clinton Public Hospital Sunday, citing a staffing shortage.
The temporary closure started at 8 p.m. Saturday and is set to end 8 a.m. Monday.
The HPHA say they decided to close the ER because there weren’t enough registered nurses available to work.
“We have shifts that are posted, and we’re constantly looking to fill them,” says Andrew Williams, the President and CEO of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance. “More often than not the last shift gets filled at the 11th hour, and [it] didn’t happen this time. We just felt that we had to make this call for safety reasons, for everybody that might have presented to the emergency department.”
Residents needing urgent care were told to call 911 and paramedics would transport them to other locations, including: the Seaforth Community Hospital, the Alexandra Marine & General Hospital in Goderich, South Huron Hospital in Exeter, and the Wingham & District Hospital.
Emergency department closure sign at Clinton Public Hospital. (Aug. 1, 2021)
People in Clinton expressed their concern about the decision to close.
“That kind of sucks, I’m sure for them as well as us,” says Linda Carter. “That seems to be when there’s a lot of problems on a long weekend.”
She says her son has had several diabetic seizures, and she worries about him having to wait for medical care any longer than is necessary.
“I would be very concerned to have to drive to Goderich or Seaforth, because he needs immediate attention.”
The emergency department at the Clinton Public Hospital is already operating with reduced hours because of staffing issues.
Williams says he tried calling other hospitals to borrow employees, but those other sites are also facing similar problems.
He adds that the HPHA needs to discuss where staff members are needed as well as recruiting for the area.
“We’re looking at any option to recruit and retain. We have a great team. They’re all stepping up and doing way more than they might normally do, just given the situation we’re in.”
Willliams says, on average, the ER at Clinton Public Hospital sees about 14 patients a day. However none arrived Sunday, which could be the result of HPHA getting out the closure notice early on Saturday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.