The B.C. government is supporting plans for a proposed new emergency department and intensive care unit at G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital.
“This project has been a top priority for me and I’m pleased that we are working towards finalizing planning,” said Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes, who made the announcement in Quesnel on behalf of Health Minister Terry Lake. “G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital has served Quesnel and area well over the years and upgrades to the facility are the next step in making sure we can support the health of families in this region into the future.”
The Province says they are is committing to consult and work with First Nations in the area as a next step.
This consultation will inform the work between the Province and Northern Health on the business plan for a new emergency department and intensive care unit at the facility. A business plan includes further analysis of health-service needs and more detailed information on the project’s scope and costs.
“This project will make a significant difference for both patients and providers in delivering person and family-centered care in Quesnel,” said Dr. Charles Jago, Northern Health board chair.
Built in 1986, the current emergency department at the facility is small, outdated and in need of upgrades.
Opened in 1955, G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital is a 38-bed acute-care facility with four intensive care unit beds, a trauma room and five emergency spaces. Services provided include full emergency medical care, lab services, diagnostic imaging, mental-health and addictions supports, and chronic disease management.