One-third of rural or northern ERs in Manitoba closed this long weekend: Doctors Manitoba
Manitoba physicians are more worried than ever about staffing leading to emergency department closures in rural and northern Manitoba.
"You have one or two physicians or nurses who are down sick or can't come in for whatever reason and there you go -- you're not able to staff an entire emergency room for a weekend,” said Dr. Candace Bradshaw, president of Doctors Manitoba.
According to information gathered Friday by the group representing doctors in the province, of the 68 hospitals in rural and northern parts of the province 26 have a 24/7 emergency department, 20 are partially closed and 22 are closed full time.
“Before you start your long weekend, know where you are going to get care because things are much more complicated this summer and it is not business as usual," said Dr. Bradshaw on Friday.
She added the issue affects the entire province because patient volumes do not change. Dr. Bradshaw explained more people will be transported to Winnipeg where wait times are already long.
The Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority tells CTV it is experiencing staffing shortages, but ‘we are not foreseeing suspension of service in the region over the long weekend at this time.’
A statement said since July 18, the emergency department in Pine Falls Health Complex has been operating from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week with the support of paramedics in the emergency department.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority spokesperson told CTV Friday staffing levels are watched on-going to project when and where challenges may happen.
“We’ve projected that this weekend, similar to many long weekends, will be a period where staffing is a challenge,” reads the statement. “At this time, we are taking measures to increase staffing across our sites over the weekend including call-outs to both regular and part-time staff, and approaching on-shift staff to work overtime, both of which a number of staff have already responded to.”
The WRHA may reassign staff where appropriate.
A Shared Health Spokesperson told CTV News that patient flow and staffing challenges have been well documented and reflect a larger issue all healthcare sites are experiencing across Canada.
Shared Health operates HSC Winnipeg and the spokesperson said plans are in place across the site to mitigate staffing challenges when they arise in order to maintain quality patient care, using a number of strategies like putting calls out to staff, asking on-shift staff to work overtime and temporarily reassigning staff to maintain safe operation.
There’s also longer-term work happening to recruit and retain nursing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on using drugs in 'all public spaces,' shifting approach to decriminalization
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in 'all public spaces,' marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.