Sault Area Hospital says it is prepared to accept patients who need help, as Ontario pediatrics hospitals are asking for assistance in dealing with a backlog of 12,000 surgeries.
However, “at this time, Sault Area Hospital has not been approached to support the backlog of pediatric surgeries,” wrote Brandy Sharp Young, SAH spokesperson, in an email received Monday.
“Our professional team in Paediatrics would be prepared to accept patients who need our help. Any transfer of patients would be initiated and arranged through the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health. Like other hospitals in Ontario, SAH would be available to accept transfers of patients if requested, if procedures can be provided at our hospital and if capacity allows.”
“Paediatric surgical volumes at Sault Area Hospital are low as we are not staffed or equipped to provide a full range of paediatric surgeries. We do not have surgeons who specialize in paediatrics at SAH. Some of our surgeons provide paediatric surgeries such as ear, nose and throat, dental and oral maxillofacial surgeries,” Sharp Young wrote.