Sudbury Children's Treatment Centre to be moved off of hospital property to ease overcrowding

Health Sciences North (HSN) in Sudbury is trying to ease chronic overcrowding by creating 56 new acute care hospital beds but first, it has to move the Children's Treatment Centre (CTC) off of hospital property.

Dominic Giroux, President and CEO of HSN, said the hospital's board of directors approved the decision in late October in an effort to address chronic overcrowding.

"According to the Northeast LHIN," he said, "there were in October 664 residents in the city of Greater Sudbury waiting for a long-term care bed."

"And at the same time in October," he continued, "we saw a peak of 67 patients in what we call 'unconventional bed spaces': ....These are patients who either are located in a shower room with their bed next to a toilet, or patients who are in a tub room ... or we have patients located in hallways."

Giroux said the hospital explored a number of other options to create new beds, but ultimately, landed on annexing the CTC building.

"[It's] a program funded by theMinistry of Children, Community and Social Services [not the Ministry of Health]," he said.

"Only five of the other 20 Children's Treatment Centres in the province are located on the same site as a hospital. Most ... are located in the community off hospital property."

On its website, the Children's Treatment Centre in Sudbury says it's a "rehabilitation facility providing assessment, treatment, consultation, and education to children and young adults with motor and communication impairments." A hospital spokesperson said all ofthe services happen on an out-patient basis.

"We know that any relocation of programs can be challenging, it can raise concerns and anxiety," said Giroux. "That's why we want to plan that transition in a very thoughtful way."

In a letter to CTC parents and caregivers, Giroux said, "while HSN values the proximity of the CTC, we do not have another option available to us to keep it onsite."

Giroux told CBC news at this point, it's not known where the CTC will end up.