A Message from the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Norfolk Brant Burlington Hospital Presidents and CEOs

August 19, 2021 - Implementation of vaccination policies

Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant and Burlington (HNHBB) region hospitals support the Ontario Government’s directive to implement COVID-19 vaccination policies no later than September 7^th in response to the pandemic.

We are carefully reviewing the directive and will plan together to ensure a consistent approach across our region.

At a minimum, this approach will require staff, physicians, contractors, learners/students, and volunteers to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or written proof of a medical reason for not being fully vaccinated or to participate in mandatory education about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination. Hospitals will also be required to implement regular and mandatory testing of individuals that are not fully vaccinated.

Our focus right now is on understanding the current vaccination status of all staff, physicians, learners/students and volunteers. These individuals will be required to report their vaccination status by September 1, 2021 if they haven’t already done so using the self-reporting tools/processes in place at their hospital. Mandatory reporting will be expanded to other groups going forward. Our goal for reported vaccination status is 100 per cent.

In addition to adhering to the directive, our planning will also look at mandatory vaccination for new hires.

COVID-19 cases are starting to increase again in our communities and across the province, and increasingly these cases are being associated with the Delta variant and those that are unvaccinated.

As a health system, we need to do everything possible to safeguard our patients and those that provide their care.

We are grateful to all those that have already been vaccinated. It is our best defense against this virus and the effort to lessen the impact of a fourth wave.

Thank you

Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Norfolk Brant Burlington Hospital Presidents and CEOs:

Dr. David McNeil, President & CEO, Brant Community Healthcare System

Sharon Moore, President & CEO, Haldimand War Memorial Hospital

Rob MacIsaac, President & CEO, Hamilton Health Sciences

Lynne Pay, CEO, Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre

Eric Vandewall, President & CEO, Joseph Brant Hospital

Lynn Guerriero, President & CEO, Niagara Health

Lucy Bonanno, President & CEO, Norfolk General Hospital and West Haldimand General Hospital

Melissa Farrell, President, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton