Reflecting on 2020

Reflecting on 2020
with Carol Lambie, President and CEO

A new year is upon us and it’s a time that always brings renewed optimism, hope for the future, and a chance to reflect, and oh what a year!

Like everyone else, we started 2020 full of hope, planning for the implementation of our new strategic plan, continuing our relentless journey to a future that goes beyond mental health to support body, mind and spirit. This shifted soon into the new year to keeping our patients and staff safe from COVID-19.

While continuing to provide essential mental health and addiction services, our team implemented multiple infection control and safety measures specifically related to the pandemic including enhanced cleaning, universal masking for patients and staff, screening, hand hygiene, full personal protective equipment use when required, physical distancing, and having staff work from home where possible. We also launched an isolation unit for all newly admitted patients to be tested for COVID-19.

Thanks to these measures and the commitment of our staff, we were fortunate to not have any outbreaks for the first ten months of the pandemic. However, in the first week of January 2021 as we began to see increased cases in the community, an outbreak was declared on our Awenda Program. With just two patient cases and one staff case, this outbreak was declared over January 23, 2021.

Our staff’s efforts to manage COVID-19 was called on once again when an outbreak was declared on the Horizon Program for Geriatric Psychiatry on January 22, 2021. Patients were immediately isolated and staff were cohorted to help reduce further spread. We have confirmed that a variant of concern is present in one of the positive cases, however are hopeful to be able to contain this outbreak because all Horizon patients and many staff have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

While our staff have been challenged more than ever this past year with these additional pressures, we are extremely proud and grateful for our collective accomplishments and still have many reasons to celebrate.

Recognizing our staff became an even larger focus for us and we thank them regularly for their commitment and dedication in emails, our staff newsletter, and on our social media channels. We celebrated their excellence with the virtual Core Value Awards, acknowledged their long service with 25, 30 and 35 year milestones, and celebrated Pride Week with the first ever Pride Flag raising at the hospital.

We also wanted to make sure we were looking after our staff’s well-being and launched four different projects aimed at doing that:
• The COVID Frontline Wellness program offers free, confidential coping and wellness support for front-line
workers in partnership with four other hospitals across the province.
• The ECHOES project, or Effects of COVID-19 on Healthcare Providers: Opportunities for Education
and Support, is a research study in partnership with Georgian College that is designed to learn more
about healthcare providers experiences with the pandemic and how these impact clinicians and
their professional practice.
• The Mindfulness Ambassador Program study in partnership with Georgian College and Mindfulness
Without Borders offers a free four-week mindfulness skills course and we are studying how the effective
the virtual classes are compared to the 12-week in person program.
• And lastly, the STOPCOVID research study has a goal to ensure we are doing everything possible to
protect the health and well-being of all Waypoint health care workers during our response to this
unprecedented pandemic.

Perhaps one of the most exciting accomplishments this year was the opening of the Community Health Hub in Midland. The virtual doors officially opened in June, consolidating Waypoint’s outpatient and community services and CHIGAMIK Community Health Centre under one roof. Offering these services under one roof improves access for our clients and their families, and aligns with the government’s commitment to integrated care delivery systems. While both organizations have seen limited clients in person, we look forward to a day where the building really is a “hub” of activity.

These are just some of our accomplishments in 2020, a year full of uncertainties. But also a year of hope and gratitude. We are excited for the possibilities that a COVID-19 vaccine brings and a number of our staff and patients have already received it. We have plans to roll it out to the remainder of our staff and our patients as soon as we are able and look forward to a time in the near future where everyone who wants a vaccine can get one. We will continue to focus on implementing our new strategic plan and caring for our patients and staff.

As we move forward into 2021, I am optimistic that we have the combined strength to move into this new year with confidence, commitment, and energy. Please consider supporting our COVID-19 Mental Health Relief Fund by visiting our website at www.waypointcentre.ca, or send along some positive messages for our staff and patients to [email protected].