Peel Memorial closes urgent care centre amid 'extreme' capacity and staffing pressures
The urgent care centre at Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness in Brampton will be closed until at least Feb. 1 amid “extreme capacity and staffing shortages.”
William Osler Health System made the announcement Monday evening after previously announcing the urgent care centre would be closed until Jan. 10.
“Due to increasing volumes in our Emergency Departments, further compounded by our extreme capacity and staffing pressures, Osler has made the very difficult decision to temporarily close its Urgent Care Centre at Peel Memorial until at least February 1, 2022,” a statement issued on their website said.
“This closure will help to direct the highly skilled staff and physicians to where demand is the greatest.”
Amid the recent surge of COVID-19 cases across Ontario fuelled by the Omicron variant, hospitals are continuing to grapple with staffing shortages and higher than normal patient volumes.
Last week, staffing shortages and increased patient volume saw William Osler Health System declare a ‘code orange’ across its hospital network.
The temporary measure, called off on Jan. 5, allowed patients to be transferred to neighbouring hospitals in order to free up capacity.
In response to the urgent care centre's closure, MPP for Brampton North, Kevin Yarde, MPP for Brampton Centre, Sara Singh and Deputy Opposition House Leader for the NDP, Gurratan Singh, released a joint statement Monday evening.
“The temporary closure of Peel Memorial's Urgent Care Centre is a scary development for patients and their families,” the statement read
“No one should have to worry that a loved one might not get the care they need in an emergency.”
The statement calls on the Ford government to repeal Bill 124, which limits regular annual salary increases for nurses and other public sector employees to one per cent for each 12-month period, provide Ontario health care workers with danger pay and implement the Canadian Armed Forces for emergency staffing in hospitals where needed across the province.
William Osler recommends that patients visit their family doctor for non-emergent concerns during the closure.
Osler’s other emergency departments, including those at Brampton Civic and Etobicoke General, remain open.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'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.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.