CEO of Grey Bruce speaks on possible curtailing ER service at Saugeen Memorial

Health & Fitness

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The newly appointed CEO of Grey Bruce Health Services, Maureen Solecki, spoke Thursday on a local radio program in Saugeen Shores about the possibility of the Southampton Memorial Hospital emergency room (ER) closing during the evenings after September 3rd.

Solecki confirmed that Grey Bruce Health Services had met with Saugeen Shores physicians on Friday, June 12th and she said [on radio] that no conclusion had been reached.  "We hope to increase the number of physicians but if that's not possible," she went on to say, "we will put forward our best efforts to plan a temporary reduction of hours. We need to do some planning."

She went on to add that if the ER does close during the evenings, ambulances would have to be situated in 'ideal' locations in in order to transport medical emergencies to other regional hospitals.  She explained that Healthforce Ontario, a sort of job bank for health professionals, has been providing temporary fill-in/locum physicians for the ER.  "The hospital has actually been within a few short hours of closing before," she said.  "We would not want anyone coming to the hospital with an emergency condition and finding that the care is not there."

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19/06/2009 12:31 AM

One Southampton resident who called in to the program expressed his concern that some of the local doctors seem to have other interests in the medical field.  "Whatever happened to the Hippocratic Oath?" he asked.  "We had doctors recruited here with the emphasis on community family practice.  The schedule to perform in the ER should be put up in advance and doctors should not be allowed to decline ER service."

Solecki replied to the caller that ER coverage varies. "According to the doctors," she explained, "the work can be exhausting." 

She went on to add that of all the options available, the least appealing is to reduce hours and close the ER during the night."\

According to sources, that is what will happen if a compromise is not reached between the doctors, the ER and the Health Services.

(See the Saugeen Times article that broke the story)