Memorial transitional unit to stay open as long as necessary

The transitional care unit (TCU) at Sudbury Regional Hospital's Memorial site will not close until all of its residents have another place to live, according to the hospital's president and CEO, Dr. Denis Roy.

The 126 residents currently living in the TCU were to be placed in nursing homes or other facilities by March 31.

However, there has been a construction delay with the new, 128-bed St. Gabriel's Villa long-term care facility. The new facility was supposed to provide enough new nursing home beds in the system in the Sudbury area to house Memorial residents. It was supposed to open to residents Feb. 14.

“We're not going to close the TCU until we can find an alternative way to place those patients,” Roy said.

“At the present time, our discussions are with the (North East LHIN) as to who pays (to keep the TCU open) because it's not our fault, in the sense that (St. Gabriel's Villa) is supposed to be opening.”

The North East Community Care Access Centre, which is responsible for placing the Memorial residents, said every week the opening of St. Gabriel's Villa is postponed, the harder it will be to get Memorial residents into nursing home beds by March 31.

St. Joseph's Health Centre, which owns St. Gabriel's Villa, put out a statement last week which said its contractor was not going to meet its construction deadline. The organization has not yet provided a revised opening date.

After March 31, the Memorial site was supposed to house a “surge unit” for patients who no longer need acute care, but are waiting for services such as home care or a rehabilitation bed.

The TCU also cares for patients who no longer need acute care, but most are destined for long-term care.

The hospital does not yet have funding for the surge unit, which will be home for 40 to 75 patients.

Roy said a funding proposal has been approved by the North East LHIN, and has now been sent to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.