KAWARTHA LAKES-A woman in labour was turned away from Ross Memorial Hospital recently after being told no one was available to deliver her baby. She then travelled to PRHC and gave birth with no complications.
Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH)told Kawartha 411 News the Obstetrics Unit was on “redirect” that weekend.
“Our Obstetrics Unit was on redirect this weekend.” Ryan Young, RMH Communications explained at the time. “Our Obstetrics Unit can go on “redirect” for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, staffing, or in the case of two days this week, renovations taking place within the hospital. When on redirect, patients are sent to another hospital.”
Young says on the day in question the hospital pharmacy room was undergoing renovation.
The public was not notified of this redirect causing added stress to women in active labour who go to the Ross and then are turned away and forced to drive further to Peterborough.
“Our Obstetrics Unit shares space with our Surgical Unit, so there are always staff on-hand. Epidurals are coordinated by the on-call physician, including on weekends.” said Young.
However, he says there are times when an anesthesiologist is not available.
“Ross Memorial Hospital has maintained 100 per cent anaesthesia coverage for emergency surgeries, 24/7. While there have been instances when an anesthesiologist isn’t available for an elective surgery and they had to be postponed, those surgeries are rebooked in a priority manner.”
In 2018 Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH)in Lindsay and Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) declared their mutual intention to propose an integration of the two hospitals into a single hospital network with two sites.
“The two hospitals have been working together for many years to jointly deliver excellent care for the region’s patients. Partnerships and collaborations between the two organizations already exist in such areas as diagnostic imaging, lab medicine, dialysis services, mental health, obstetrics and pediatrics, ophthalmology and orthopaedics.” said a joint press release from both organizations. Read the full story here: https://www.kawartha411.ca/2018/06/28/merger-proposed-for-lindsay-and-peterborough-hospitals/
That plan was later shelved after the public became concerned about losing services.
We contacted the Ontario Nurses Association to find out how often “redirects’ are happening and the impact on nurses. They referred us to the Ontario Hospital Association. The Ontario Hospital Association referred us to Public Health Ontario. Public Health Ontario has not responded to our request for information.
