Capacity issues are adding to the challenges faced by the South Bruce Grey Health Centre. The Board of directors reported it is actively working to restore services in the Walkerton and Chesley hospital sites.
A staff shortage forced a reduction of services to be implemented in December, 2021. Hours at the Walkerton Emergency Department were cut in half, and the Inpatient Unit at the Chesley site of SBGHC has been converted to a 20-bed Alternate Level of Care. And the Emergency Department at Chesley has been operating on reduced hours and closed overnight for several years.
The President and CEO of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre said nursing recruitment and retention is their first priority. Michael Barrett said the board remains committed to having four strong and viable hospital sites in southern Grey and Bruce Counties.
As of January 21st , 2022, 22 of SBGHC’s 60 beds are occupied by alternate level of care (ALC) patients who do not require acute care, but cannot be transferred to their next destination due to staffing and capacity challenges in other parts of the system.
Barrrett said engagement sessions with the Walkerton and Chesley communities to review and discuss the recruitment and retention action plan will be scheduled in the following weeks.
“Our Board of Directors fully recognizes the impact that the reduction in services has had on our communities, and are committed to restoring services as soon as we possibly can,” said SBGHC Board Chair Bill Heikkila. “We continue to attach considerable urgency to this issue, and are taking significant steps to return our four hospital sites to full service.”
In September 2019, a recruitment and retention action plan was first developed following the reduction of hours in the Chesley hospital ED. The plan has now been updated with additional immediate actions to address the nursing shortage at SBGHC, and ensure the return of SBGHC’s four sites to full service. Since the reduction of services in December 2021, the following immediate actions have been taken to restore services at SBGHC, which are detailed in the recruitment and retention action plan available on SBGHC’s website.
– 3 full time single site Registered Nurse (RN) positions with un-mastered lines posted (2 in Walkerton, 1 in Chesley – these are positions are over and above normal staffing complement).
– Agency RNs have been secured to cover some shifts in Walkerton and Chesley.
– Addition of Casual RN language to the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) Collective Agreement.
– Utilizing Registered Midwives to stabilize staffing in the Family Birthing Centre.
– Nursing externship positions posted for RN students and Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs).
– Application to the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) to participate in the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership has been submitted and approved. This new initiative supported by the Ministry of Health will provide eligible applicants (i.e. internationally educated nurses) with an opportunity to meet their evidence of practice and language proficiency requirements and to become registered.
– Recruitment and retention focus groups with front-line nursing staff and leadership (first sessions completed January 17th-20th).
A media release from the hospital board said, “In addition to these recruitment initiatives, the plan details a comprehensive list of both existing and new retention initiatives, including a third-party review of scheduling practice to identify deficiencies and opportunities for improvement.”
With an overall shortage of nurses across the province, many hospitals are challenged to recruit and retain nurses. SBGHC is taking the necessary steps to set the hospital apart from other hospitals, and ensure that the organization is a place where nurses want to work.
