Thessalon emergency department forced to close again today

After a 48-hour shutdown last week triggered by province's ongoing doctor shortage, town's emergency department will be closed again on Monday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

File photoDonna Hopper/SooToday

For the second time in less than a week, the emergency department in Thessalon has been forced to temporarily close because it doesn't have a doctor.

The facility will be shut down for 12 hours today, beginning at 8 a.m.

Last week, The North Shore Health Network (NSHN) said that due to the ongoing doctor shortage in Ontario, officials had no choice but to order a 48-hour shutdown of Thessalon's emergency department, from May 24 at 8 a.m. until today at 8 a.m.

“The North Shore Health Network continues to investigate all possible options to provide safe access to care," says a news release from the NSHN. "Every effort will continue to be made and NSHN is committed to keeping the community informed regarding this situation."

Tim Vine, the health network's CEO, was a guest on the latest episode of Village Media's Inside the Village podcast. He explained how the situation got so dire, if there’s a reasonable cure in sight — and how he sleeps at night knowing that a community he serves has no emergency room for people to depend on. (You can watch the full interview here.)

"NSHN would like to thank the community for your continued patience and understanding during this time as we work with our partners towards sustainable resources to serve your healthcare needs," says a notice posted on the network's website.

During Monday's shutdown, anyone requiring immediate medical attention should call 911 and ambulances will be rerouted to NSHN Blind River site, NSHN Richards Landing-Matthews site,or Sault Area Hospital.

Other available Emergency Departments in the region are:
   •   Blind River Site – North Shore Health Network – 525 Causley St., Blind River
   •   Richards Landing Site – North Shore Health Network – 1180 Richards St., Richards Landing
   •   Sault Area Hospital – 750 Great Northern Rd., Sault Ste. Marie

Non-critical health care can be accessed at Health811 by calling 8-1-1, toll free TTY line: 1-866-797-007, or start a live chat with an advisor online.

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