Durham – To ensure Port Perry residents have access to care, Lakeridge Health is extending capacity at its other acute care hospitals following the recent fire at the Port Perry Hospital, which is part of the Lakeridge Health system.
“We want to reassure patients and families that while the Port Perry Hospital remains temporarily closed, we are able to provide safe, quality care within our regional system,” says Matthew Anderson, Lakeridge Health President and CEO.
Following Friday’s fire, the majority of surgical and diagnostic imaging procedures are being shifted to the Oshawa and Bowmanville Hospitals. If needed, Lakeridge Health may also leverage additional capacity at the Ajax-Pickering Hospital. New Life Centre expectant moms are asked to discuss their birth plan with their doctor, while all hospital-based care and deliveries will be provided at the Oshawa Hospital.
“Port Perry Hospital remains critical to access and delivery of care for the community,” says Anderson. “Lakeridge Health is committed to restoring and re-opening the hospital as soon as possible. During the time of closure, we will extend capacity at other acute care hospitals within our network to help alleviate patient volumes.”
An information line will be set up to help support Port Perry patients, families and Health Service Partners to allow for quick, streamlined access to important information. This line will be monitored 10 hours a day (from 8 a.m.- 6 p.m.) by dedicated staff to provide patients and families with timely access to better understand the timeframe for when cancelled or postponed appointments will be rebooked. Please check our website for information line updates.
“The response from our staff, partners and local emergency services has been extremely positive and we would like to thank them for quickly delivering care and for supporting higher than normal volumes at this time,” adds Anderson.
While the temporary closure of the hospital remains a difficult time for the community, Lakeridge Health’s five-site hospital system is working with the Central East LHIN (Local Health Integration Network) to bring additional resources to our hospitals to help alleviate volumes and create more capacity. The LHIN has initiated a Category 1 Designation, which will allow Lakeridge Health patients to have priority access to Long-Term Care beds in the community.
Shortly after the fire broke out, patients, visitors and staff were safely and quickly evacuated and all 22 patients were transferred to Lakeridge Health hospitals in both Oshawa and Bowmanville. The hospital sustained an estimated $10 million in fire, smoke and water damage as determined by The Township of Scugog Fire Department and the Office of the Fire Marshal Emergency Management and Fire Investigation Unit (OFM), resulting in the closure of the site. Teams are working hard to determine what will be required to safely reopen the hospital.
Quick Facts
- Port Perry hospital is part of the five-site Lakeridge Health system. The acute care hospital is made up of 30 acute beds and five newborn bassinets.
- In 2016/17 it provided care to the residents of the LHIN’s Durham Northeast sub-region and surrounding communities through:
- 17,031 Emergency Department visits
- 3,375 surgical cases
- 12,146 Diagnostic Imaging procedures
- 1,953 inpatient visits