Perth Mayor: ER re-opening is a good thing, but there’s much work to be done to avoid a repeat

Perth Mayor John Fenik is happy the Emergency Department in Perth set to re-open on Sunday morning.

But he knows the current nation-wide healthcare worker crisis needs to be addressed to prevent a repeat.

We caught up with the Mayor on the phone between meetings, and he told us a solution has to be found, even if it requires thinking outside the box.

He says he’s been talking about staffing solutions with Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones.

Mayor Fenik says hiring and retaining staff is an effort that needs a multi-level approach.

Fenik says that municipal contributions to the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital from the communities it serves total about $1 million and that means communities need to be involved in finding solutions.