For the third year in a row, a Hamilton health clinic will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day due to ongoing staffing shortages.
A spokesperson for Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) says the Urgent Care Centre (UCC) at Main Street West and Macklin Street will shut down for two days over the holidays, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, to ensure emergency departments in the city’s hospitals can remain fully staffed.
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“We recognize the impact that such difficult decisions may have on our patients and their families. We thank everyone for their patience and understanding,” HHS’s Wendy Stewart said in an e-mail.
The UCC closure on Christmas Day is not unusual, though typically before the COVID-19 pandemic the outlet closed due to low patient volumes.
The clinic will remain open on other days during the holiday season.
For those needing non-emergency care during the closures, HHS is recommending reaching out to family doctors, Health Connect Ontario and St. Joseph’s Urgent Care Centre on King Street East as alternatives to the UCC on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
For immediate needs, visiting an emergency department or calling 911 is recommended.