Non-urgent services to be paused

HHS, in accordance with provincial direction, is moving to a staged wind down of some clinical activities. This applies to non-urgent, scheduled care and procedures, as well as ambulatory clinics. Some of these services have already paused. The majority of these temporary closures/postponements will be activated by March 18. Patients will be notified by their care team if they are affected.

We are taking a planned approach as directed by the Ministry of Heath, and working with local partners to assure the ramping down of our clinical activities is safe and well organized locally. We will continue to assess and make changes as needed as the province’s pandemic response plan evolves. These actions support local containment and will help reduce possible exposure for staff and physicians to COVID-19 and conserve resources for urgent needs.

We are also asking all clinics staff and physicians to explore virtual care as an alternative.

We understand the impact these measures can have on patients, their families and our clinical teams, and appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we implement this complex change.