Staff shortage forces Gatineau Hospital to cut surgeries
Hull Hospital had to undergo similar reductions less than a month ago
The Gatineau Hospital is closing half of its operating rooms temporarily and reducing the number of surgeries it performs because of a nursing staff shortage.
It has two weeks to go from 12 operating rooms down to six, according to Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS). Non-emergency surgeries will be moved to nearby hospitals.
The Hull Hospital had to undergo similar reductions less than a month ago, temporarily closing down two of its operating rooms.
This service reduction should have no impact on dealing with personnel issue in Outaouais hospitals, Guy Morissette, a director with the CISSS, said.
"The situation at the Gatineau Hospital will not delay the development of the contingency plan. The contingency plan, we knew at the outset, that it would take a while before articulating it," he said in French.
Surgeries planned for the Gatineau Hospital will take place in other hospitals in the Outaouais.
Stakeholder meetings have been called to find solutions to the shortage, but have all hit deadlocks. The next round of deliberations should provide progress, Morissette said Thursday.
It is unknown when the hospital will return to full capacity.
With files from Radio-Canada