Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Progressive Conservative MPP Rick Byers has sent a letter to the South Bruce Grey Health Centre board of directors as well as the Hanover and District Hospital board.
In the letter dated May 27th, Byers encourages the two boards to undertake an expedited review of their current hospital configurations and health human resources.
Byers says in his letter, “Such a review could enable both organizations to share HHR (Health Human Resources) operating and financial information in order to properly assess the issue, with the goal of providing the best possible healthcare to all the communities.”
The Hanover and District Hospital is the only standalone hospital in Grey Bruce. It doesn’t belong to either South Bruce Grey Health Centre or Brightshores Health System.
Byers writes, “When South Bruce Grey Health Centre was established in 1998, Hanover & District Hospital chose to remain a single hospital unit and has operated very effectively throughout this period, including having no closures from the increased patient loads since 2019.”
South Bruce Grey Health Centre’s Chesley and Durham sites have had numerous, and now longstanding emergency department closures in recent years.
Byers writes, “I believe the operating challenges over the last few years raises the question of whether an alternative configuration of hospitals under your management might be an issue to consider.”
Hanover and Durham are 18 km apart. Walkerton is 11 km from Hanover and is 29 km from Durham. Other nearby hospitals include Mount Forest and Markdale.
As of June 3rd, the inpatient beds have been moved out of the Durham hospital and sent to the Walkerton and Kincardine hospitals.
Byers notes he attended a community meeting in Durham May 7th that was held in response to the news of the inpatient beds being moved out of town, and he also met with community members May 15th when they visited Queen’s Park, and a walk for the hospital May 21st. He says the community’s reaction to the service reduction in Durham has been significant.
In his letter, Byers says, “As part of the process, I would recommend South Bruce Grey Health Centre consider retaining the in-patient beds at the Durham facility while this review is underway.”
The letter is also being circulated to local councils for information and was received by Grey County Thursday.
You can read it by clicking the link below:
Correspondence – MPP Rick Byers – South Bruce Grey Health Centre Announcement