Grimsby hospital losing obstetrics temporarily

Pregnant moms in west Niagara will soon have to head out of town to deliver their babies, but it’s only temporary.

The obstetrics department at West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby will be closed for roughly eight weeks, beginning Tuesday, as Hamilton Health Sciences performs infrastructure work as well as upgrades to the sterile storage space.

Dr. Michael Stacey, chief medical executive and executive vicepresident, academic, said the work is being done together to reduce the overall closure of the department.

“We’re trying to minimize any disruption to service,” he said.

Some of the work to be completed is part of the $8.5 million in upgrades promised by the Doug Ford government last year to keep the hospital functional. Stacey said all the work is being now, though, to prevent another closure of the department next year.

The upgrades to sterile storage was “recommended be done sooner rather than later,” Stacey said.

Up until Aug. 6, women who go into labour are to call the WLMH obstetrics department to receive instructions from the obstetrics team. From Aug. 6 until the construction is over, anyone who goes into labour is asked to go directly to Niagara Health’s St. Catharines hospital.

Preplanned C-sections and inductions, meanwhile, will be performed at McMaster University Medical Centre in Hamilton.

All pre- and postnatal care will continue on as normal. HHS recommends families speak directly with their doctor or midwife about their availability to attend the birth at an alternate site.

The emergency department will remain open and unaffected by the construction.

Stacey said the work should ensure the obstetrics department can remain in Grimsby until a new hospital is built.

“Our objective is to maintain service in the community,” he said. “Keep it as whole until we get to rebuild.”

While no announcements have been made, Stacey said “work is happening in the background to get to that (rebuild) as quickly as possible.”

The obstetrics department at WLMH should reopen about the end of September, officials said.