Seaforth hospital reducing emergency department hours

(Source: Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance/Twitter)

The emergency department at the hospital in Seaforth, Ont. will once again see reduced hours beginning Wednesday night.

According to a press release from the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPPA), the emergency department at Seaforth Community Hospital will be temporarily reducing its hours “as a result of ongoing health human resource shortages.”

The reduced emergency department hours are as follows:

• Wednesday, July 27, 2022 – The emergency department will close at 5 p.m. and reopen at 7 a.m. on Thursday, July 28, 2022.
• Friday, July 29, 2022 – The emergency department will close at 5 p.m. and reopen at 7 a.m. on Saturday, July 30, 2022. Regular hours of operation (24/7) will resume at this time.

The HPPA says that paramedic services will remain operational during this time and will re-route patients to the nearest emergency department.

The health care organization also recommends calling Health Connect Ontario at 8-1-1 for non-urgent health care needs, or consulting a family doctor.

The closest 24-hour emergency departments to the Seaforth Community Hospital include:

• Goderich – Alexandra Marine & General Hospital
• Exeter – South Huron Hospital
• Stratford – Stratford General Hospital

“Increased demands on the healthcare system, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, are leading to staffing vacancies. These pressures will continue throughout the summer,” the release reads.

Wednesday and Friday’s closures will mark the fourth and fifth times respectively that Seaforth Community Hospital has had to close its emergency department.