It’s a numbers game.
There have been premature reports that the Emergency Room services at Saugeen Memorial Hospital in Southampton may be cut back.
It’s been suggested that the department could be closed during overnight hours.
The President and CEO of Grey Bruce Health Services Maureen Solecki says that’s simply not the case at this time.
Solecki admits there are challenges because of the number of doctors available to do emergency duty might not be able to cover all shifts.
However, she says no decision has been made on cutting back the hours of operation of the hospital emergency services.
Solecki says should that happen down the road, it will be a last resort move and it would only be temporary.
She says it’s important that the Southampton facility have 24-hour emergency service.
Solecki says they’ve been in touch with Health Force Ontario who have listed the potential ER vacancies for July and August, traditionally the vacation months.
She says getting more physicians into the system with ER duties would alleviate the problem.
She notes Saugeen Shores is getting ready to welcome Doctor Tara Sommerville to the area who will be helping out in the emergency department.
Solecki says this problem of doctor shortages is not new to Southampton.
The issue has been ongoing for the past three years and Health Force Ontario has stepped in to help out with the shortages before.
Solecki says she has met with many of the area physicians in Southampton but it was more an information meeting than anything else.
Solecki says should the Southampton hospital emergency department have to shut down, it would be a temporary measure and the community would be notified well in advance about any such move.
However, again Solecki points out that no such decision has been made and it’s business as usual at the emergency department of Saugeen Memorial Hospital.