Full house attends community meeting about Clinton hospital
A full house of concerned citizens turned out to the latest meeting about the future of the Clinton Public Hospital and its overnight emergency room closure.
“We need our hospital open 24 hours a day, not just from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. That’s ridiculous,” said Clinton resident and former Clinton Hospital employee Sandy Stewart.
Clinton’s Emergency Department (ED) closed during the overnight hours on December 2, 2019, due to a lack of nurses.
It has not been open past 6 p.m. since.
Jared Petteplace knows that all too well. The Clinton father has had to stickhandle a sick 2 year old, closed winter roads, and a closed emergency room.
“We had to make a choice, do we drive to Seaforth or Goderich on a closed road at 11 o’clock at night. That’s when I got very involved in the hospital,” said Petteplace.
The moderator of the community meeting is the physician who used to manage Clinton’s ED. Dr. Maarten Bokhout retired in 2022 after 30+ years as a Clinton area physician.
Maarten Bokhout, retired Clinton physician, moderated a community discussion about future of the Clinton Public Hospital on April 16, 2024. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
“I think the reality is there are some things that are possible, and some things which are not possible. It’s certainly changed since I was active as a physician, and I can understand that. I think times move on and they change, but there are some things we may be able to do. We’ll have to see,” he said.
Although Clinton’s hospital has been a part of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) with three other local hospitals since 2003, a recent “amalgamation” of the Clinton Hospital corporation with hospital corporations in Stratford, Seaforth, and St. Marys has riled up more concerns.
Clinton’s local hospital advisory committee submitted a request to leave the HPHA in December of 2022.
Clinton had hoped to join a hospital alliance including Goderich and Exeter, but their request to leave HPHA was denied by the executive board in May 2023.
In late 2023, HPHA officials requested the “amalgamation” of their four hospital corporations.
“I know that Goderich and Exeter have never closed their ERs, and they are right next door. So, there’s definitely a solution to this, but we don’t know what it is, and we’re hoping HPHA can come up with that for us,” said Petteplace.
Central Huron residents gathered to discuss the future of the Clinton hospital on April 16, 2024, amidst a 4.5 year overnight Emergency Department closure. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
HPHA officials said they work on Clinton’s ED nursing shortage on a “daily basis” and are committed to operating four fully functioning hospitals.
A crowd of 150 concerned Clinton and area residents believes the time for talk is over, results matter four and half years into an overnight ED closure, with no end in sight.
“I want to see every hospital offering 24/7 care. It’s like we’re giving them a Corvette, and they’re treating it like a Chevette,” said Clinton resident Scott Lubbers.
“I have grandchildren here and people that need the hospital after hours. I worked in emerg, in the admitting department for quite a few years, and yes we were busy in the evening, and people need that in this community,” said Clinton grandmother Sandy Stewart.
As part of the recent HPHA amalgamation, local hospital advisory committees in Clinton, Seaforth, St. Marys, and Stratford have been disbanded, to be replaced by community councils.
You can learn more by visiting their website.
The Clinton Public Hospital’s Emergency Department, seen in June 2019. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976944.1721898750!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
DEVELOPING Jasper wildfire burns buildings, while poor air quality forces some fire crews out
A fast-moving wildfire has hit Jasper, Alberta, destroying buildings and chasing some wildland firefighters away with dangerously poor air quality.
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Vacations, meals, booze: Contractor used $100K of charity's money for personal expenses, B.C. court finds
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.