Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is requesting nearly $1.5 million from Powell River Regional Hospital District for five capital projects.
At the Powell River Regional Hospital District board meeting on September 27, VCH regional director of capital planning Johan Marais outlined the request, which includes modernizing the clean and dirty dumbwaiters, upgrades to the pharmacy room, emergency department triage upgrades, a patient monitoring system and a surgical minimally invasive video system.
Marais outlined projects that were currently underway at qathet General Hospital, including pharmacy upgrades, the hospital roof replacement, Willingdon Creek and Evergreen Extended Care cooling upgrades, a high voltage breaker replacement, an operating room mechanical boiler and violence prevention sites. Powell River Regional Hospital District investments into the projects that are underway total $2.7 million.
With the five new projects highlighted by Marais, the ask is $1,467,690, which represents 40 per cent of the project costs.
Marais said two upcoming capital projects include the building envelope condition assessment and renewal, which will involve investigating moisture levels in interior and exterior walls and addressing areas of concern due to leaks and deterioration. The other is a renewal of the laundry facility, which will involve upgrading mechanical and electrical systems supporting the facility, optimizing space and flow, as well as laundry equipment replacement. He said there is no price tag for the planned work at this point.
Darlene MacKinnon vice-president for VCH coastal community of care, said important work is being undertaken by VCH in focusing on delivering safe care and working with the hospital district in investing in infrastructure in VCH facilities.
She said at qathet General Hospital, VCH has been making progress on two planned renovations. She said one is in the waiting room and the interior of the emergency room.
“The goal of that is to improve patient experience, as well as safety for patients and staff,” said MacKinnon.
She said regarding recruitment, VCH is seeing improvements in hiring. She said there has been an initiative to provide educational opportunities for locals to advance their careers, partnering with Vancouver Island University.
Hospital board chair and City of Powell River director George Doubt said the board would not be making decisions on the request at the regional hospital board meeting, and might want to invite the delegation back to spend more time getting into the details.
qathet Regional District Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick said she wanted to ask if the VCH delegation is aware that at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention in September, a motion was passed asking the government to modernize the regional hospital district cost sharing request under the Hospital Act, including the ability to pay as being a key consideration of health care cost-sharing. She said that was approved at the convention.
“My concern echoes that of others who are really worried about the constant downloading onto local governments,” said McCormick. “We haven’t paid out the last ask and now we are being asked to take out another $1.5 million in borrowing. I’m really concerned about that.
“My question is: are you aware of the concern that’s out there, and how does that affect the cost-share requesting that you are doing?”
Marais said he was not aware of the UBCM motion but he is definitely aware of the sentiments from the regional hospital districts in general.
He said VCH is very challenged in support for infrastructure upgrades.
“At the same time, we are dealing with limited funding from the ministry of health,” said Marais. “We are really reaching out to you as a regional hospital district to be in partnership in trying to move some of these key initiatives forward within an extremely limited funding envelope. The contributions you are making is valued unbelievably in terms of moving things forward. You enable us to do that.”
McCormick said she was not saying these projects are not worthwhile, but that the hospital district’s ability to pay has to be a factor in the consideration.
Doubt said he would like to invite the VCH delegation back to a regional hospital district committee of the whole meeting where the board can go through the request after having put some thought to it.
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