Offload delays see ambulances line up in front of Guelph hospital
There were no ambulances available to respond to emergencies in Guelph for a short period on Monday, as paramedics waited outside the hospital to offload patients.
Ten ambulances were seen lined up in front of Guelph General Hospital on Monday – another sign of a healthcare system under strain.
“[It] meant that we had no ambulances available to respond to emergency calls,” said Stephen Dewar, Guelph Wellington Paramedic Service Chief. “We had some emergency calls waiting, it took us about 15 minutes before we could free up some resources and that's really not good.”
An offload delay occurs when an ambulance arrives at the emergency room but hospital staff are unable to take over care of the patient, requiring paramedics to stay on-site.
According to a report from Guelph Wellington Paramedic Services, local paramedics spent more than 4,900 hours caring for patients in offload delays in 2021.
HOSPITALS STRAINED
Inside the Guelph General Hospital emergency room on Monday, resources were stretched thin.
Melissa Skinner, Guelph General Hospital chief nursing executive, said at peak, there were 22 people waiting to be admitted. The 24 beds and stretchers the hospital had to see patients were all full.
The backlog is a problem province-wide.
“It’s being seen where it's never been seen before,” said Stephen Van Valkenburg with the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs. “Obviously urban areas have a bigger issue, but some of the smaller areas are really starting to see that offload delay, really start to creep up now.”
Back in Guelph, Skinner said part of the issue is systemic, stemming from outside the hospital’s walls.
“There's just not enough destinations in our community for patients to go to when they need to leave hospital,” Skinner said. “So right now we have patients waiting to go to rehab beds, long-term care, a retirement home.”
Plus many hospitals, including Guelph’s, remain understaffed on an almost daily basis.
“Unfortunately I think our education systems are now a little bit behind. We just can't get enough people through the different programs to help get into healthcare,” said Skinner. “It’s going to take several years to come out of this.
The front page of Guelph General Hospital’s website now features a bright banner warning of long wait times and asking for patience and kindness.
“One of the things that we did yesterday -- and do when we have to -- is called 'batching,' in which we have one paramedic deal with multiple patients in the hallways,” said Dewar. “But that's not a solution, it’s just a patch.”
Asked to respond to the long offload delays at Gueph General Hospital, the Ministry of Health pointed to its plan to spend $15 million to redevelop the hospital's emergency department.
“The phased redevelopment of the hospital’s emergency department will renovate existing infrastructure and enhance emergency services to ensure families have access to high-quality care in a comfortable and modern space,” the ministry said in part in an email.
HOW OFTEN DID GUELPH WELLINGTON PARAMEDICS MEET THEIR RESPONSE TIME TARGETS?
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.