Throughout the pandemic, Bruce County responded with a number of proactive measures to help protect residents, businesses, and staff, while following the guidance of the Ontario Government and Grey Bruce Public Health. During the peak of the pandemic’s fourth wave, dozens of Bruce County Staff voluntarily redeployed into critical long term care support roles. With Ontario now recovering and reopening, Bruce County wants to recognize and thank these County employees for their exceptional efforts in supporting the most vulnerable in our communities.
“Thank you to all Bruce County staff for maintaining municipal services throughout the pandemic and delivering critical and essential services like paramedic services, long term care, road maintenance, and essential customer service”, said Interim CAO Christine MacDonald, “Thank you to our amazing colleagues from across the organization who were redeployed to assist our long term care teams in the provision of exceptional support during that challenging time in our province.”
At the Brucelea Haven long term care home in Walkerton and the Gateway Haven long term care home in Wiarton, the pandemic’s fourth wave shifted service demands and increased staffing shortages as a result of higher COVID-19 transmission in the community and isolation requirements. From January 17 to February 12, 2022, in an effort to support the County’s Long Term Care teams and their priority focus on direct resident care, dozens of Bruce County staff volunteered to be redeployed into supportive roles at the homes. The redeployed staff members took on split shifts and extra hours in roles like Reception, Swabbing, Housekeeping, Laundry, and Maintenance.
These redeployed employees truly represented a cross-section of the organization, including representatives from Corporate Services, Human Services, IT Services, Library Services, Museum Services, and Planning & Development. With the fourth wave pressures on Brucelea Haven and Gateway Haven easing, and recruitment efforts bringing in additional long term care professionals, most of the redeployed staff have now returned to their departments. A few employees are continuing in their temporary long term care support positions.
“The hard work and commitment to the community displayed by Bruce County staff throughout this pandemic has been truly commendable”, said Warden Janice Jackson, “The efforts of staff to keep our community safe, to provide care to our residents, and to be flexible and focused in municipal service delivery, has positioned Bruce County for success as we turn the corner with a cautious reopening and recovery.”
Opportunities:
Bruce County’s Workplace Engagement Services is currently recruiting for a number of long term care positions in Walkerton and Wiarton. Explore a mix of great career opportunities at www.brucecounty.on.ca/jobs
source: media release
