“We experienced an unfortunate situation during the January 14, 2021 vaccination clinic on site at Headwaters held by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health. A staff director at our hospital had a family member vaccinated during a break in scheduled appointments at the vaccination clinic. The family member was at the hospital for other tests the same day the clinic ran.
As health care professionals we have an obligation to make appropriate decisions and as leaders must accept that we will be held to a higher standard. However, as humans, we are also influenced by our innate sense of duty and care for our families. This was a failure in sound decision making by one individual, for which they and the hospital are deeply sorry.
This was an isolated incident.
As a result, our staff director made the decision to retire. We are unable to provide any additional personal information about this incident due to privacy and confidentiality.
Although it is everyone’s wish to have the opportunity to be vaccinated as soon as possible, there are processes in place that must be followed to ensure everyone is treated fairly and that we follow provincial and public health guidelines. This clinic was for staff and physicians, and health care workers from our partners in the community. Appointments were made based on an ethical decision-making framework. A total of 221 people received their first dose at the vaccination clinic that day. At this point, a second clinic is scheduled for February for the second dose. WDG Public Health will be in touch with vaccine recipients if there is a delay in the second dose due to the availability of supply.”
Kim Delahunt, President & CEO
Headwaters Health Care Centre