in Chatsworth, Grey Highlands, Southgate, West Grey
May 28, 2024
The mayor, in consultation with the West Grey emergency control group, has declared a state of emergency in the Municipality of West Grey effective May 28, 2024, due to the imminent removal of the in-patient beds from the Durham Hospital and concerns regarding public safety — stating that the well-being of West Grey residents, both physical and mental, is a top priority.
“While the decision to make this declaration was not made lightly, given the actions of South Bruce Grey Health Centre (SBGHC), it is vital that we take these drastic measures to safeguard the residents of West Grey and neighbouring communities." said Mayor Kevin Eccles. "These measures were implemented due to the response of our stakeholders concerns and the lack of action from the bodies responsible for the delivery of this essential human right."
On May 24, 2024 West Grey applied for a judicial review of the decision by SBGHC citing that it is unreasonable because the decision severely impacts the interest of vulnerable individuals and that SBGHC failed to adequately consider the consequences of that decision on those individuals in making its decision, and those consequences are not justified.
Durham Hospital has faced other threats of closure in 1976 but the community rallied behind the hospital, mounting a legal challenge to the Ontario government's decision. At that time, the challenge was successful and the court quashed the closure order, keeping the hospital open for the community.
In the late 1990s, the Durham Memorial Hospital was again threatened, when the Ontario government recommended that Durham Memorial Hospital be closed, along with the Chesley Hospital.
The amalgamation of four separate hospitals (Chesley, Durham, Walkerton and Kincardine) in 1998 was done to ensure the survival of local rural hospital care throughout the area, with one hospital administration operating across four hospital campuses.
The Durham Hospital Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation, has raised funds in the local West Grey area. Since 2005, the foundation has funded more than $1,200,000 for new medical and diagnostic equipment and facility upgrades and repairs to the Durham Hospital.
On April 24, 2024, SBGHC announced that it will be removing all 10 inpatient beds from the Durham Hospital effective June 3, 2024, with those beds being relocated to the Kincardine Hospital and the Walkerton Hospital. Nursing shortages were cited as being the cause for the removal of the inpatient beds. SBGHC made this decision in consultation with Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health.
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