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The Government of British Columbia announced that people in Fort St. James will soon have enhanced access to high-quality health care as the new hospital and health centre—Stuart Lake Hospital replacement project—nears substantial completion.
“With the substantial completion of the facility, people will be one step closer to an expanded emergency department, improved diagnostic imaging services and better access to primary care in their community,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “This investment will also provide health-care professionals with the space and technology they need to provide more cutting-edge care. Reaching this significant milestone will ensure people in the North have access to the care they need close to home, now and well into the future.”
The new hospital and health centre is expected to be substantially complete on Oct. 8, 2024. The facility will replace the outdated hospital, combining primary, acute and long-term care in one location. It will house 27 beds, with 18 long-term care and nine acute care beds.
The new facility will have an expanded emergency department with two treatment rooms, a trauma bay and an ambulance bay. In addition, a larger laboratory and diagnostic imaging (X-ray) and palliative-care spaces will benefit patients and staff.
“We’re keeping our promise to strengthen hospital services in remote and rural areas across B.C., so people receive care in modern, state-of-the-art facilities within their communities,” said Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health. “This new hospital will help people in Fort St. James and the surrounding area access quality care close to where they live.”
The primary-care centre within the facility will be integrated with the hospital and long-term care services. Primary-care services will include physicians, visiting specialists, substance-use supports, public health, and home and community care.
“Having all health services under one roof is going to simplify care, making it more efficient for patients and health-care providers alike,” said Colleen Nyce, board chair for Northern Health. “Considering the community’s unique needs has been a top priority throughout the development process. We are grateful to the staff and community leaders who engaged with Northern Health at each stage of the project and cannot wait to show the entire Fort St. James community how that feedback has taken form in the new facility.”
Patients will start receiving care in the new facility when it opens in January 2025. Demolition of the current hospital is anticipated to begin early in 2025, with full completion of the project expected in September 2025.
“We are so pleased that this important new facility is on track to reach substantial completion this fall and open in early January 2025,” said Judy Greenaway, chair of the Stuart-Nechako Regional Hospital District. “This hospital will help ensure that residents in the Fort St. James area have local access to high-quality medical care, as well as provide an upgraded facility to support the attraction and retention of medical staff. This project is a wonderful answer to the unique health-care challenges faced by rural communities, improving not only access to diagnostic services, but also decreasing the burden of medical travel.”
The total capital cost of the project is $158.3 million, funded by the Province through Northern Health, and an $18.4-million contribution from the Stuart-Nechako Regional Hospital District. |
