B.C. parties express support for new patient tower at Nanaimo hospital

All three major B.C. political parties have expressed support for building a new patient tower at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, which has long been requested by health-care advocates and doctors.

“Every human being north of the Malahat needs to get better patient care and building a new patient tower will do that,” said Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation CEO Barney Ellis-Perry.

The foundation and Fair Care Alliance say a 600-bed patient care tower is desperately needed to meet the growing population and one with the country’s oldest demographic. The current tower was built in 1962 with space for 346 beds.

“On any given day we have over 400 patients in the tower. That means they’re in hallways. Some of them are in what used to be closets,” said Ellis-Perry.

BC NDP Leader David Eby made a surprise announcement pledging the party’s commitment to it at a town hall event in Nanaimo Sept. 26.

“If we earn the trust of British Columbians in this election, and we’re returned to government, we’re going to build that new patient care tower at Nanaimo hospital and make sure the people of Nanaimo are looked after,” he said to a cheering crowd.

The following day, B.C.’s Conservative leader and the Nanaimo-Gabriola Island Green candidate said their parties were in support of seeing the project through as well – and took aim at the NDP for not having committed to the work sooner.

“This government has ignored everything north of the Malahat for too long,” said Conservative Leader John Rustad. “I’ve talked to the health-care professionals that are there. So the new facility that needs to go in Nanaimo will certainly go ahead under a Conservative government.”

Green candidate Shirley Lambrecht called the investment “long overdue.”

“Frankly, I think the announcement last night was basically damage control,” said Lambrecht. “We have a catchment area of almost 500,000 people up here who are being underserved by the health-care system and it’s about time. I think the province really needs to get its priorities straight.”

The chair of the Fair Care Alliance is keen to see a plan and details on how the parties would address a second request for a catheterization lab.

“We currently are the largest population in Canada that live below the standard of care for cardiac care – and what that means is 90 minutes from PCI or heart attack to a cath lab and that is just really not possible with the transportation modes that we have here,” said Donna Hais.

At the time of the interview, the Alliance and Hospital Foundation were aware of the NDP’s announcement. The groups had also received signed pledges by the riding’s candidates from a recent rally that they would work with elected officials to see the two projects through.

“We’re pleased that they’re listening to the community and the outreach from the community saying this is definitely a priority and this is what we need,” said Hais.