Security concerns evident at SGBHC’s annual meeting

WALKERTON - The 26th annual meeting of South Bruce Grey Health Centre on June 26 was different from past meetings.

It was held at the Best Western in Walkerton. As board members, health centre staff and the 74 people who pre-registered arrived, they were greeted by crowds of demonstrators carrying “Save Our Hospital” signs. There was also a noticeable police presence including two uniformed officers in the meeting room. The board members were seated in a horseshoe arrangement, with their backs to the audience.

However, the AGM proceeded pretty much according to the schedule in the agenda, with board vice-chair Dean Dunn conducting the meeting in the absence of chair Jim Bagshaw. Dunn would be named the new board chair during the regular meeting that followed the AGM.

Throughout both meetings, the service cuts including the removal of all in-patient beds from the Durham hospital was the proverbial “elephant in the room” that no one was allowed to discuss.

Included in the list of instructions provided to those in attendance was a statement in bold type, “Unfortunately, due to the filing of a judicial review by the Municipality of West Grey, SBGHC is no longer able to publicly discuss matters relating to the Durham Inpatient Bed Transition until the court proceedings are resolved.”

The list of instructions also prohibited videotaping and photography at the meeting, and limited each person asking questions to two questions, taking no more than two minutes for each question.

The inability to ask questions about a matter that was clearly on a lot of minds, started the meeting on a clearly uncomfortable note for many in the crowd.

However, Dunn proceeded to present the chair’s report. As stated in the annual report document, the presentation began, “We would first like to commend our leadership team, staff and physicians for their commitment and resilience throughout the year. We recognize that this has been a stressful time and despite the challenging staffing shortages, they continued to put patients first.”

Dunn spoke of the successful accreditation review, capital improvements to facilities, and support from the hospital foundations.

CEO Nancy Shaw followed with the annual report.

Among the statistics she discussed were 51,343 patient registrations compared to 46,770 the previous year, 48,489 diagnostic imaging tests (47,641 the previous year), 881,763 lab tests, 1,705 surgeries, 2,279 admitted patients, 39,873 emergency visits, 424 babies born and 271 full-time equivalent employees (288 the previous year).

Shaw remarked on the new MOLLI 2 system that’s being used to improve breast cancer treatment, participation of SBGHC in the proof-of-concept study to see if patients were willing to travel further distances for shorter CT and MRI wait times, Rapid Access Addictions Medicine Clinic (RAAM), and the bone mineral densitometry program at the Durham site. In addition, Shaw discussed “timely management of (patient) repatriations,” various training and continuing education programs being utilized by staff and by students in nursing programs, and the employee excellence awards.

Three new physicians were welcomed to SBGHC – Dr. Ellen Lorenzen, Dr. Owen Montpellier and Dr. Kyle Scheuerman.

Questions from community

Seven people had registered to ask questions at the conclusion of the AGM – Jana White, Victoria Gowans (did not speak), Julie Wilson, Gerry Grant, Janice McEachnie, Richard O’Brien, Janice Daize and Tom Hutchinson (did not speak). Peter Fallis had not registered ahead of time but was allowed to ask one question, on behalf of the community.

Grant asked why SBGHC has staffing shortages while other area hospitals – Brightshores, Hanover – do not.

Shaw said Brightshores is larger, with more resources, while Hanover is a single site. She stressed she has “a close relationship with the CEOs of both hospital corporations, and “we share strategies.”

Grant also asked about agency nurses, and Shaw confirmed that there are a few; the numbers are not reflected in the 271 staff.

McEachnie asked Dunn about openness and transparency.

Dunn said, “We still want to come out and speak to the community,” to which McEachnie responded, “When? We’re still waiting.”

Dunn replied, “As soon as we possibly can. I want to get it done this summer.” He went on to say that as the new board chair, he’d do everything he could to make that happen.

Richard O’Brien asked about board membership, noting it appeared most board members are from “the west section” with a minority from Grey County. He asked how to get “fair representation.”

Dunn said a general call for new board members goes out and “if people don’t volunteer, we can’t put them on the board.”

Dunn commented later in the meeting that he himself is from West Grey.

Daize asked about any increase in patients from West Grey at hospitals in Kincardine and Walkerton during the past month.

Shaw said she didn’t have those numbers but would email them to Daize later.

White asked about SBGHC’s decision-making process, and where the public can find the information.

Shaw said there is discussion, which may go to the board or to the senior management team.

White also asked about access to health care, and Dunn referred to the pending legal matter, but noted matters would be discussed “with other hospitals in the area.”

Wilson asked about the Walkerton and Chesley sites, and how the Kincardine expansion would impact them.

Shaw commented that there’s “data to support the growth in Kincardine,” and added the MRI will be available to all regions.

Wilson came back with a comment about three major projects in Durham, “and you’re shutting down the hospital.”

Shaw said safety is a key factor. “Intermittent closures are a risk; we are short nursing staff.”

Fallis asked about the board of directors, stating only the “members have the authority to elect” them. Dunn’s response was, “It’s in our bylaws.” Fallis was not permitted to continue.

Changes to the board

The majority of the business discussed during the regular meeting that followed the AGM was devoted to board membership.

However, Dunn began the regular meeting by commenting on the AGM: “The message from the community is clear – they’re looking for consultation.”

Board members for 2023-2024 Zak Ashley, Paul Austin, Doug Harris, Tammy McFarlane and Chris Oberle have resigned from the board. Dean Dunn’s term was extended by three years. Jim Bagshaw and John Haggarty had their terms extended by one year.

Dr. Lisa Roth stepped down as chief of staff after 14 years. Dr. Mike Ballantine is the new chief of staff.

New to the board are Victoria Ducharme, Ben Rier, Angela Thompson and Allan Dickert.

Board chair for the coming year is Dean Dunn; vice-chair is Joe Dietrich.

Pauline Kerr, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Walkerton Herald Times