Thursday, March 22, 2007

Northern Health to spend $115 million in next fiscal year

Northern Health has outlined it budgetary plans for the fiscal year and plans to spend $115 million in new and improved facilities over the next year.

Prince George’s Opinion 250 website
has two stories on the latest from the Northern health offices, the outline of their spending plans for the region as well as a bid to receive $20 million more in additional funding for a number of requirements for the coming year.

Both of the stories are provided below:

Northern Health Capital budget $115 million
By
250 News
Thursday, March 22, 2007 05:14 PM

The Northern Health Authority plans to spend $115 million dollars in new and improved facilities in the coming fiscal year.

In approving the budget today in Prince George, the Board will complete the new Masset Health Center, replace the Acropolis Manor with new residential care beds and assisted living units for seniors, replace the CT scan and X-ray room at the Prince Rupert , and construct new residential care beds in Hazelton, Houston, and Ft. St James.

In Quesnel the Dunrovin Park Lodge will add new residential care beds at a projected cost of $20 million dollars. There will be 59 new beds in the newly renovated and expanded facility.
Meantime other projects under discussion with funding partners include, assisted living units at the Rotary Manor in Dawson Creek, continued planning for replacement of the existing hospital in Ft St John, addition of residential care beds in Ft St John, and expansion of the Terraceview Lodge in Terrace.

Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 05:14 PM in News by 250 News

Northern Health Authority seeks 20 million more funding for 2007-08
By
250 News
Thursday, March 22, 2007 03:26 PM

The Northern Health Authority has approved a submission to the provincial government for $552,845,000 dollars in funding for 2007-2008.

That figure is up $20,234,000 over the projected costs in 2006-2007.
The Northern Health authority approves the budget and then sends it along to the province for their approval.

Some of the costs that the NH is projecting for the coming year include General inflation of 2%,
Drug costs that are accepted to rise by 14%, Energy increases of 8% for natural gas, and 3% for electricity.

Surgery levels are expected to increase to just over 28,190 up from a forecast of 27,415 in 2006-07.

Northern Health says they will continue to provide 20% more acute beds that the provincial average. There are about 540 acute beds in hospitals across northern BC.

Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 03:26 PM in News by 250 News


It’s an additional bit of funding that might come in handy if this story from the Opinion 250 site proves to be forecasting a future trend.

Emergency Room Visits to increase in 2007-08
By
250 News
Thursday, March 22, 2007 03:45 PM

The Northern Heath Authority says Emergency room visits to it hospitals will increase by about 3,289 in 2007-08

In 2006-07, 267,620 persons came to the facilities, up from 242,605 in the 2003-04 fiscal years.

Ambulatory care, those visits that include minor surgery, IV therapy, and other care services that usually don’t require hospital admission will increase to 145,720 up from the 137,250 visits that took place in 2006-07.

Public health will spend about $23.1 million dollars of the budget. Northern Health’s Tobacco reduction program will see $180,000 more in funding in the coming fiscal year along with a service plan that includes plans to increase immunization, provide better care in dealing with blood borne pathogens and increase awareness of road health safety initiatives.

Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 03:45 PM in News by 250 News

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