01/27/09—Levels of Care and Job Security Are Paramount Concerns
Chatham, ON—The Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) board was presented with the Small Community Hospital Emergency Department study findings in a recent public meeting. The report covers facilities in Leamington, Petrolia, and Wallaceburg, the latter of which is part of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA). CLAC Local 303 represents approximately 450 employees of the service unit at CKHA, with about 90 in Wallaceburg.
The report recommends the closure of the Wallaceburg emergency department, or switching to an urgent care centre model, which would operate either out of the current building or a new, free-standing facility. All patients requiring emergency services would be forced to travel to Chatham or other regional hospitals.
"For months prior to this announcement, we have seen the writing on the wall," says Trish Douma, southwestern Ontario regional director. "We do not think this is fair for either the job security of our members or the citizens of Wallaceburg." Douma says that she understands the predicament of the LHIN with regard to an aging building, trouble with recruiting physicians, and the current economic climate.
"This cannot be boiled down to dollars and cents," she went on to say. "This is a question of respect, integrity, and dignity for the loyal employees at the Sydenham Campus and the citizens of Wallaceburg and their right to receive front-line care. We look forward to contributing publicly to a solution to the current situation in Wallaceburg in the coming months. It is our hope that a solution can be reached that will serve the interests of all parties involved."