The E-R department of Saugeen Memorial Hospital in Southampton is not a fun place to work and many local physicians are not happy about the deteriorating conditions.
Doctor Keith Dyke made a short presentation to the Southampton Residents Association on the weekend — saying conditions are stressful and demanding that place the health and lives of patients in serious jeopardy, according to a public letter that has been written by many of the doctors.
Doctor Dyke says those who have worked in that ER over the years are becoming burned out because of the conditions and cannot work there anymore.
He says it’s good that Saugeen Shores has a good number of family doctors but that doesn’t solve the serious issues facing the ER department.
Dyke says there have been improvements made at the hospital including lab renovations underway now.
However he points out most of the renovations have come about because of potential failed accreditation.
He says the Ministry of Health has to go beyond that requirement and focus on increasing the size of the ER department.
Doctor Dyke says in the past year there has been increased episodes of violent patients in the ER department where police have had to be called.
He says it happens in every emergency department but Southampton does not have a safety zone for doctors and nurses or an area where staff can separate themselves from patients.
Doctor Dyke says it boils down to size.
The doctor urged the Southampton Residents Association to lobby the candidates in the upcoming provincial election to come up with answers on how their government would solve the problem.
According to nine physicians who wrote a public open letter to the community, they’re not so sure the Southampton emergency room will be open come election day October 6th.
