In a statement released late Friday afternoon, the hospital said the intensive care unit’s inventory had been at least 127 percent above capacity for several days, prompting the move.
The hospital said that from November 14 it will prioritize “urgent, urgent and more time-sensitive surgeries” while canceling other scheduled operations.
It is unclear how many processes could be affected by the change.  The surgical backlog at SickKids had already nearly doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 3,800 in March 2020 to about 5,600 last June.
“This decision was not taken lightly.  The reduction in surgical activity will allow us to support areas of the hospital that need help managing increased patient volume and acuity, including intensive care units, pediatrics and the Emergency Department,” said SickKids President and CEO, Dr.  Ronald Cohn.  “I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone at SickKids who is doing their best, for patients and families and for each other, at this difficult time.”
Children’s hospitals across Ontario have reported a significant increase in patient volume due to respiratory viruses so far this fall.
Last week, the commander of Ontario’s Critical Care Management Center for COVID-19 urged hospital administrators to admit teenage intensive care patients to adult intensive care units in an effort to free up capacity.
Ottawa-based Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) also opened a secondary intensive care unit this week using beds temporarily moved from the day surgery unit.
In its statement, SickKids said it has already increased the number of “higher acuity” patients being treated outside of the ICU, but still faces capacity issues.
He said it is also increasingly unable to accept new patients from community partners who have similarly “reached their maximum capacity”.
“We now find ourselves supporting our colleagues essentially in the care of pediatric patients who would otherwise receive care at SickKids,” the statement noted.
The news that SickKids will limit surgeries in an effort to maintain capacity comes hours after Trillium Health Partners confirmed that pediatric patients were no longer being admitted to the Mississauga hospital.
Instead, a spokesman said patients were being redirected to Credit Valley Hospital in an effort to maximize limited resources.
“By working together on one site, our clinical teams were able to keep the same number of beds open to support children and families in need,” Keeley Rogers said in a statement provided to CP24.  “We want to assure you that this has not reduced access to high quality care in our community and region.  The emergency department at Mississauga Hospital remains open for pediatric patients and should admission be required, arrangements will be made for transfer to CVH for care.”
The latest figures from the Ontario Intensive Care Services daily census show there are 122 pediatric patients in intensive care, up from 111 the previous day.
Ontario has a total of 112 pediatric intensive care beds.
In a statement issued earlier Friday, NDP Health Critic France Gélinas called on the Ford government to take action to address a “hospital crisis” that is “worsening by the day.”
“The government must take urgent action to address the danger signals coming from hospitals, and especially children’s hospitals.  We need to address the staffing crisis, including repealing Bill 124, promote COVID and flu vaccination, and start showing respect for our healthcare professionals,” he said.