Hamilton's West End Urgent Care Clinic shutting down to redeploy staff to other HHS sites

Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) is shutting down its West End Urgent Care Clinic for up to eight weeks in order to redeploy staff to other sites across the hospital system.

The temporary closure of the facility at 690 Main Street West will begin at 10 p.m. on Monday, according to an announcement from HHS shared Friday afternoon.

It will free up five emergency-trained doctors, 10 nurses and other staff members who will move to emergency departments and other "high priority" areas, according to a media release.

"Our urgent care team members have a unique set of skills that are urgently needed at our hospital sites and we are grateful for this support," Dr. Kuldeep Sidhu, chief of emergency medicine, stated in the release.

"We are doing everything possible to address staffing shortages and maintain essential services in our community and our region."

Less critical care, more patients

Sidhu went on to say that HHS is seeing "less patients requiring critical care" than in previous waves.

However, "there are more patients requiring admission to our acute wards," he added. "At the same time, staffing shortages are at record highs."

HHS is currently caring for 213 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 24 in the ICU. The hospital also reports 634 of its staff members and physicians are in self-isolation.

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton has 102 patients who have contracted the virus, with 16 in the ICU, as of Friday. St. Joe's has 270 staff and physicians in self-isolation.

Hamilton hospital officials warned on Tuesday that they may be forced to take last-resort measures such as allowing COVID-positive staff to work, put patients in hallways and close regional programs if Omicron overwhelms them.

HHS said the closure of the urgent care clinic is temporary and it will aim to re-open the site as soon as possible.

The COVID-19 assessment centre will remain open.

In the meantime, the hospital is directing patients to explore other healthcare options in the city, contact 911 or visit an emergency department if care is needed urgently.

HHS asks anyone who doesn't need immediate medical attention to contact their family doctor.