Northern Health has plans

Expanding care facilities and local support for seniors is high on the spending list for Northern Health, outlined in a recent 2007-08 service plan.

The Daily News examined some of the highlights of the planned expenditures for the next year.

Healthy sum to be spent on the region’s hospitals
By James Vassallo
The Daily News
Friday, March 30, 2007

Northern Health will spend an additional $115 million on projects in the region during the next 12 months. Among those on the North Coast are the completion of the new Masset Health Centre, the replacement of Acropolis Manor and the replacement of the CT scan and x-ray room at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital.

“A major focus of our budget and service plan will be to expand care facilities and local support programs for seniors,” said Jeff Burghardt, Northern Health board chair. “We continue to see enhancements in a wide range of areas, which are helping us to better meet the health needs of Northern British Columbians.”

The spending was outlined in the health region’s 2007-08 service plan and budget plan, which was released at a recent board meeting.

Other projects include a new clinical information system, new residential beds at hospitals in Hazelton, Houston and Fort St. James, an expansion at Quesnel’s Dunrovin Park Lodge, completion of the maternity ward at Prince George Regional Hospital, additional residential care beds and assisted living units at Dawson Creek’s Rotary Manor, expansion at Terraceview Lodge, and an addition of residential care beds in Fort St. John.

Along with the hefty list of capital expenditures, Northern Health is also proposing an increased operating budget of $552 million, which must be approved by the Ministry of Health. It includes a 6.1 per cent increase in base funding from the B.C. Government. In the last fiscal year, which ends March 31, the health authority spent $532 million and is expected to have a $3.5 million surplus.

“The surplus from our last fiscal year will become part of our operating capital budget for the 2007/2008 year,” said Burghardt. “This will help us to meet our ambitious capital plan over the next year.”

Around the region, next year’s service plan calls for increases in hospital services, including an additional 28,000 surgical procedures; more seniors care services, including six more residential care beds next year and 83 more by 2008-09 as well as 59 more assisted living units next year and a total of 289 by March 2009; enhancements to mental health like $550,000 in new mental health observation units at a number of hospitals designed to offer more support for people with mental illness; and public health programs such as $180,000 in additional spending for the Tobacco Reduction Program. There will also be an additional 9,435 hours for home care support services.

Again for 2007-08, NH will also operate more acute care beds than mandated by the province.
With 20 per cent more hospital bed capacity than government expectations, the health authority will provide 5,540 beds at hospitals throughout the region. The extra beds are a response to both the poorer health status of people in Northern B.C., and the difficulty in operating some non-hospital services in small communities that would be common in urban areas.

NH has also initiated a community consultation on improving mental health and addictions services around the region. The health authority will begin visiting communities in late May to gather input.