A public meeting has been planned for the residents of Arran-Elderslie to discuss the two month long closure of the Chesley Hospital’s Emergency Department.
President of the Chesley and District Chamber of Commerce, Peter Knipfel, says a public meeting is needed.
“There have been some rotating closures of the emergency department, but this is a 24/7 two month closure which is devastating to our community. So this meeting has been urged so that we can let our community know what’s going on,” said Knipfel.
Knipfel says the community was “blindsided” by this decision.
“I don’t believe there are any other emergency departments in the province of Ontario [that are seeing] complete closures, other than temporary 12 hour closures or maybe a weekend. But nothing for the length of two months, which is huge,” he added.
Knipfel says he understands there’s a severe staffing shortage, but adds he recognizes that it’s difficult to recruit more doctors and nurses while health officials also have to deal with the closure of the Emergency Department. “It’s a vicious cycle,” he added.
The public meeting will be held Tuesday, October 18, at 7pm at the Chesley Community Centre.
The meeting is being co-moderated by the Mayor of Arran-Elderslie, Steve Hammell, and President and CEO of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre, Micheal Barrett, with MPP Rick Byers expected to attend as well. There will be a presentation followed by a question and answer period for residents to express their concerns.
The emergency department at the Chesley Hospital closed on October 7th, and is expected to remain closed until at least December 2nd.
