'The fight is still on'; residents encouraged to attend Grey-Bruce hospital meetings

Durham residents are readying to give officials from their local hospital group an earful tonight, as they get their first face to face with South Bruce Grey Health Centre decision makers – that’s following the reduction in the Durham Hospital's emergency room hours, and movement of all 10 of Durham's inpatient beds out of town.

"I think there's a resounding message that we want to keep our inpatient beds and our emergency room 24-7. I do think there's an opportunity that's going to be presented tonight to find an alternate service to enter our hospital. I think that's the goal, and we'd like to see both," said Save the Durham Hospital Committee Co-Chair, Jana White.

Chesley residents are readying for the same face to face debate, at the first community meeting between the South Bruce Grey Health Centre and locals, since October 2022 – which takes place tomorrow evening.

"In Durham they want the restoration of full time ER services, and they want their inpatient beds back. They want a fully functional, operating hospital. In Chesley, we haven't had full time ER services since that October meeting in 2022," said Brenda Scott, Chair of the Chesley Hospital Community Action Committee.

South Bruce Grey Health Centre in Durham. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

Durham lost 24/7 ER care and their inpatient beds earlier this year. Chesley has had rotating ER closures since 2019, setting the record last year for most ER hours closed of any hospital in Ontario.

"It is interesting that they said they need to find out now what the communities think, because they've never been told. Well, you and I both know that we've been telling them for a long time what we want. A return to fully functioning, 24-hour care," said Scott.

Despite the high emotions surrounding the future of healthcare in the two communities, and a pending legal injunction against the cuts put in motion by West Grey council, White said that she hopes cooler heads prevail at the upcoming community meetings.

Chesley Hospital closed sign, as seen in August 2023 (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

"There's always hope. We have hope that we'll get back to 24/7 care, but I don't know that there's confidence in that right now. I think they're going to be looking for some community input about an alternate service that could come to our hospital, that would benefit the community, and would also keep the hospital viable," suggested White.

Tonight's community healthcare meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Durham Community Centre, while Chesley's Community Centre hosts the South Bruce Grey Health Centre meeting, Tuesday night at 6 p.m.

"For some people, it's discouraging. I believe the fight is still on," said Scott.