Doug Currie, Minister of Health, explained that an important milestone has been reached in the first phase of the redevelopment project at the QEH.

“With site preparation work set to begin this August, we have made another significant stride in our continued commitment to make improvements to our Island healthcare system by advancing the time line for the construction of the new and expanded Ambulatory Care department by 18 months,” said Minister Currie.

Site preparation for Ambulatory Care is scheduled to begin the week of August 17. During site preparation, the main vehicular entrance to the hospital will be relocated further down along Murchison Lane in order accommodate the design and construction of the new department and expansion of the existing public parking lot. Site preparation is expected to be completed by mid-November of this year with infrastructure construction scheduled to begin early spring of 2010.

Rick Adams, Executive Director of the QEH, said that it is important for the public to be aware that during construction there will be changes in parking, traffic flow and access to the main hospital entrance. Traffic controllers, signs and direction markers will be put in place at the QEH to ensure disruptions are minimal and the public will be further advised of these changes in the coming weeks.

“The changes taking place at the QEH, through renovation and new infrastructure, will assist hospital staff and management in the provision of quality health care now and in future. Patient care needs have evolved over the years and we have to ensure that we are able to provide new health care delivery models to meet their needs,” added Adams.

Phase One of QEH redevelopment was scheduled for implementation over a seven-year period and contains three separate stages, including Emergency and Support Services, Ambulatory Care and Day Surgery and an addition to the Cancer Treatment Centre.

With exterior construction complete on the new Emergency Department, interior construction, electrical and mechanical work is now taking place, including essential repairs and upgrades to the support areas of Supply, Processing and Distribution (SPD), Materials Management, and Laundry Services. It is anticipated that SPD and Laundry Services will take occupancy of their new areas in early 2010 and that the new Emergency Department will be operational late spring/ early summer of 2010, which is in keeping with the original project time line.

The addition to the Cancer Treatment Centre is nearing project completion, with final cleaning and furnishing taking place in early August, with full occupancy shortly thereafter.

This is the first major renovation to the province’s largest acute care facility and main referral hospital since it was built in the late seventies. The need for change was identified by hospital staff, physicians and government through an ongoing effort to improve the delivery of health care services to Islanders.