Sydenham District Hospital won't be forced to merge with the two surrounding hospital boards, according to the ministry. A voluntary merger took place last month between the Public General Hospital of Chatham and St. Joseph's Health Services Association. The move is meant to be more effective. Sydenham chose not to merge. The Ministry of Health tells BlackburnNews.com in an email, Syndenham, if it chooses , would remain an independent entity with its own board overseeing governance and operations of the hospital. Ministry officials say "there are no legal barriers for a Minister's approval of the amalgamation ..." The ministry says it will take a minimum three months for the two-hospital merger to take place. An integration review and a ministry review must both happen before an official decision is made.
BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance. (Photo by Jason Viau)
