CommunityHealthNews

Government to increase acute care beds, rooms

The Yukon government is playing a welcome game of musical beds.

Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee, along with Whitehorse General Hospital officials, announced Monday  the government is “expanding the Yukon’s health care system by increasing the amount of both long-term care rooms at Whistle Bend Place and acute care beds at Whitehorse General Hospital.”

In a prepared statement, the partners announced “the Government of Yukon and the Yukon Hospital Corporation will be reconfiguring existing spaces to create 12 new long-term care rooms at Whistle Bend Place which will result in an additional five acute care beds being available at the Whitehorse General Hospital’s Thomson Centre.”

As a result of these changes, some hospice clients, long-term care residents and government staff will be relocated from Thomson Centre to Whistle Bend Place. 

The government is investing $6.3 million to cover the cost of expanding bed capacity in the territory. 

McPhee said “our government is committed to meeting the growing needs of Yukoners and seniors needing long-term care and acute care.”

Jason Bilsky, the CEO of the Yukon Hospital Corp., added “addressing the strains on bed capacity at Whitehorse General Hospital has been a key focus for us.

“By expanding our health system’s capacity at both Whitehorse General Hospital and Whistle Bend Place, we’re making important strides to relieve these pressures and boost our overall capabilities.”

Jessica Apolloni, a spokesperson for the hospital, told the Star this morning that “for YHC, recruitment efforts are ongoing. I’ll send you an updated staff # once confirmed.

“We are working towards a tentative first patient day of July 29 for the acute care beds in Thomson Centre.”

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