'These pressures will continue throughout the summer': More temporary emergency department closures in Clinton and St. Marys

Emergency department closure sign at Clinton Public Hospital. (Aug. 1, 2021)

Both the Clinton Public Hospital and the hospital in the town of St. Marys will experience another round of temporary emergency department hour reductions.

“Increased demands on the healthcare system, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, are leading to staffing vacancies. These pressures will continue throughout the summer,” the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) said in a media release.

The HPHA attributed the ongoing health human resource shortages as a contributing factor to the closures.

The two hospitals will see the following closures:

Clinton Public Hospital

• Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022 – The Emergency Department will be closed.
• Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022 – The Emergency Department will open at 8 a.m. and regular reduced hours of operation (8 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily) will resume.

St. Marys Memorial Hospital

• Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022 – The Emergency Department will close at 5 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022– The Emergency Department will open at 7 a.m. and regular hours of operation (24 hours, daily) will resume.

HPPH said anyone requiring immediate medical attention should call 9-1-1.

Paramedics will remain available to the community and will re-route to the nearest available Emergency Department to ensure local residents continue to have access to the emergency services they need.