Accessibility Enhanced at Provincial Health Care Facilities

Health and Community Services
Human Resources, Labour and Employment
March 23, 2010
Accessibility Enhanced at Provincial Health Care Facilities

The Williams Government is continuing its commitment to making health care facilities throughout the province more accessible with a $1.72 million investment for renovations. The funding, from fiscal year 2009-10, will help improve washroom and shower accessibility for patients at three health facilities in the province.

The Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services, made the announcement at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John’s today. The minister was joined by the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment and Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities; Vickie Kaminski, President and CEO of Eastern Health; and Susan Ralph, President of the Coalition of Persons with Disabilities, Newfoundland and Labrador.

"I am pleased to see progress being made to ensure our provincial health facilities are more accessible and user-friendly for patients," said Minister Kennedy. "My department is working with all Regional Health Authorities to identify and resolve any accessibility issues. Authorities have outlined key areas that require structural changes and renovations to promote wheelchair accessibility for patients and the public. This investment is indeed a positive move forward in addressing those needs."

"Providing environments that are fully accessible for the public, health care patients and those with disabilities is a priority for our government," said Minister Susan Sullivan. "Our Disability Policy Office works with community organizations, businesses and other government groups to break down all sorts of barriers, in buildings, attitudes, and policies. This investment is certainly a positive step in the right direction for those who spend time at our province’s health care facilities."

Eastern Health will construct 14 accessible washrooms in St. John’s, nine at the Health Sciences Centre and five locations at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital. The washrooms will be constructed in strategic areas throughout the hospitals and some will include shower accessibility.

"We welcome the funding to address what has been a long-standing issue in our St. John’s hospitals," said Ms. Kaminski. "We will now be able to make the necessary improvements to ensure our patients have access to our washroom facilities in comfort and with dignity."

Western Health will construct eight accessible washroom and shower facilities for patients who require wheelchair accessible services at Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook.

“These enhancements will help improve the quality of care that we offer to our patients at Western Memorial Regional Hospital," said Susan Gillam, Chief Executive Officer of Western Health. “This will help us address a gap in the services for patients requiring accessible facilities."

"Today’s announcement is a significant step to improve the level of accessibility for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with disabilities," said Ms. Ralph. "The Coalition of Persons with Disabilities is delighted that government acted promptly and appropriately to develop and implement a resolution to this issue. Improving accessibility of our province’s health care facilities is an excellent example of how change can occur as the community and government work together to remove barriers to ultimately achieve full inclusion."

Throughout the Eastern region, health facilities constructed, redeveloped or renovated recently have a greater number of accessible rooms and services. Some of these facilities include the Bonavista Peninsula Health Centre, the Burin Peninsula Health Centre, the Dr. G.B. Cross Memorial Hospital, the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre, the Placentia Health Care Centre/Lion’s Manor Nursing Home, the Dr. A.A. Wilkinson Memorial Health Centre and the W.H. Newhook Community Health Centre in Whitbourne.

In the Western region, the Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital, the Dr. Charles Legrow Health Centre, the Bonne Bay Health Centre, the Rufus Guinchard Health Centre, the Calder Health Centre, the Bay St. George Long Term Care Centre and the Humberwood Addictions Centre each have wheelchair-accessible services.

"The funding announced today will lead to improved privacy and dignity for patients," said Minister Kennedy. "We want patients to be focused solely on their health and well-being with all amenities and comforts in close proximity."

The Department of Health and Community Services is currently reviewing individual renovation and redevelopment proposals from the Central and Labrador-Grenfell Health Authorities, which will include upgrades to wheelchair accessible services.

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Media contacts:

Tansy Mundon Director of Communications Department of Health and Community Services 709-729-1377, 685-2646 tansymundon@gov.nl.ca	Jennifer Collingwood Director of Communications Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment 709-729-0753, 690-2498 jennifercollingwood@gov.nl.ca
Deborah Collins Media Relations Manager Eastern Health 709-777-1339 deborah.collins@easternhealth.ca	Heidi Staeben-Simmons Director of Communications Western Health 709-637-5252 heidistaebensimmons@westernhealth.nl.ca
Mark Lane Executive Director Coalition of Persons with Disabilities 709-722-7011

2010 03 23 10:40 a.m.

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