A proposal to end day surgeries at the Southampton hospital dominated discussion at a public meeting Wednesday night, hosted by Grey Bruce Health Services in Saugeen Shores.
The hospital held the meeting to update the public on the $10-million expansion of the hospital currently underway, but the majority on the focus was on a proposal to move day surgeries from Southampton and two other GBHS hospitals.
The board of directors will consider a plan to move day surgeries to Owen Sound, ending the service in Southampton, Meaford and Markdale, saving a projected $550,000 annually in operating expenses, plus up to $3-million in capital costs.
Chief Human Resources Officer Rebecca Cummings says the hospital is facing a $17-million projected annual deficit by 2019 if no budgetary changes are made, pointing out the Southampton site is the second-busiest of the six hospitals in the GBHS umbrella, behind only Owen Sound.
Cummings adds even if the proposal is approved by the board, endoscopy procedures would still continue to be offered in Southampton.
Saugeen Shores Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau challenged the board to resist and stand up to the Ministry of Health and keep rural health services in place.
He says rural hospital boards have to draw a line in the sand and say no to more service cuts.
"Once they finish cutting $17 million, how far are you going to be driving after that? Are you going to be driving to London, are you going to be driving to Toronto? Darn right that's what you're going to be doing," says Charbonneau. "Are we going to allow that to happen? No. The community is not going to allow that to happen, we just can't."
The Grey Bruce Health Services board of directors will consider the proposal for day surgeries at its April 26 meeting.
Work continues on the $10-million expansion of the Southampton hospital, slated to be completed in early 2018. (photo by Jordan MacKinnon)
