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Almonte General Hospital temporarily closing ER Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning

The Almonte General Hospital is seen in this undated file image. The Almonte General Hospital is seen in this undated file image.
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The emergency department at the Almonte General Hospital in Almonte, Ont. will be temporarily closed Saturday.

The Mississippi River Health Alliance (MRHA) said in a news release Saturday that the closure would be in effect from 3 p.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Sunday. The rest of the hospital will remain open and care for patients continues.

The emergency department will be closed because of a staffing shortage, the hospital says.

"Like many rural hospitals in Ontario and across the country, Almonte General Hospital (AGH) has had to close the Emergency Department (ED) for short periods due to staffing challenges. These decisions are not made lightly and not without every alternative being exhausted. The ED has a very small staff with one physician and two nurses working on each shift. If one of them is sick, there is a big impact as there is not a large pool of people with Emergency Department training to draw from," a news release said.

Anyone requiring immediate medical attention should call 9-1-1. Paramedics will take patients to the nearest emergency department for care.

The closest emergency departments are the Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital, Arnprior Regional Health, the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital and the Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa.

MRHA president and CEO Mary Wilson Trider said several people are sick.

“We know these closures are concerning for our community. Unfortunately, we are dealing with multiple sick leaves. We are in contact with Ontario Health East Ministry staff to discuss potential solutions," she said in a statement.

"Patient and staff safety is our main priority. The hospital applauds all the staff who have worked countless hours of overtime in their efforts to ensure the best care for our community. They have provided outstanding care throughout the pandemic and continue to work extremely hard."

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