The Canadian Press Published Tuesday, August 9, 2022 9:32 AM EDT Last Updated Tuesday, August 9, 2022 9:32 AM EDT
A southwestern Ontario hospital will see another temporary closure of its emergency department due to staff shortages.
In a news release, the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance says Clinton Public Hospital will be closed Thursday, but will return to reduced daily hours Friday.
The organization says increased demands on the health system, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, are leading to staff vacancies, adding that these pressures “will continue throughout the summer”.
Clinton Public Hospital’s emergency department was also closed Saturday due to staff shortages.
Meanwhile, Cambridge Memorial Hospital says waiting times in its emergency department are “very high” today due to patient volume, limited inpatient beds and staff shortages.
The latest data from Ontario Health shows the average wait time for a patient to receive an initial assessment by a doctor in an emergency room in the province was 2.1 hours in June , while the average length of stay in an emergency room for all patients admitted to a hospital was 19.1 hours.