Souris ER closing

After more than a year of sporadic shutdowns, the health department will close the emergency room at the Souris Hospital January 1, 2006.

Wendell Deagle, who chairs a committee looking for solutions for the hospital, delivered the news to a public meeting held in Souris on Wednesday night. Health Minister Chester Gillan did not attend the meeting.

However, the minister did hint at what would be happening earlier in the day during questioning in the legislature. He said people in the area might have to settle on a series of walk-in clinics.

"This would be after the doctors work during the day, probably 5:30 to eight in the evening, so many days a week, after the doctors regular appointment calls. There would be access to the physicians, its a mini version of the existing emergency room access to the doctor."

Outside of those hours people will have to drive for about 45 minutes to Charlottetown or Montague for emergency service.

Andy Mooney, the MLA for the area, said there were few options left. He said Souris could not afford to lose any more physicians. And telling perspective physicians they also have to staff a 24-hour emergency room in addition to their regular duties does not help with recruitment.

"Over the last four of five years, we've lost four or five doctors. And right now our doctors are getting very heavily recruited, the ones that we have here, so we had to make these changes very quick to stabilize things here."

The politicans said they might change the plan if new doctors can be found. Right now, the hospital is down to two doctors, when it should have four.