Clinton, Ont. emergency department closure marks grim anniversary

A sign out front of Clinton Public Hospital in Clinton, Ont. shows the hours of the emergency department from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

It was four years ago this week that the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) announced they’d be closing the Clinton Hospital’s emergency department due to a lack of qualified nurses.

On Nov. 9, 2019, HPHA officials said they’d be closing Clinton’s ER in the overnight hours, starting on Dec. 2, 2019.

The overnight closure, was only supposed to be a temporary measure, but it’s turned into a four year long closure.

HPHA officials said they’ve been searching for qualified staff to re-open the ER to 24/7 care since the 2019 closure, with no luck. The situation has gotten worse, in fact, as Clinton’s emergency department has actually had to close on some weekends and weekdays, due to staff shortages.

Hospital officials said their goal is still to return the Clinton ER to 24 hour care, even though it’s been four years since the “temporary” measure was first put into place.