Headwaters board votes to close Shelburne Hospital

The board of Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) has decided to close down the Shelburne Hospital.  The board approved cuts of $1.8 million based on a freeze in funding come April. Twenty-two chronic care beds will move to Orangeville while four will be eliminated. In addition, HHCC is closing eight acute care beds and one pediatric bed at its Orangeville site. “It’s not about health care, it’s all about money,” Shelburne Mayor Ed Crewson told the Orangeville Banner. Dr. Ron Murphy, the only dissenting board member, said bed reductions would lead to longer wait times and potential clogging of the emergency room. The HHCC budget will now have to go to the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) for final approval. What to do something about it? Go to www.avoidingzero.ca