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NLIS 4
May 24, 2001
(Health and Community Services)

 

The following statement was issued today by Gerald Smith, Minister of Health and Community Services. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

I am pleased to tell honourable members that the transition from the old Janeway Emergency in Pleasantville to the opening of the new Emergency Department at the Janeway Chidrens Health and Rehabilitation Centre at the Health Sciences Centre site has been a success. As of midnight, last night, the Emergency Department at the Janeway in Pleasantville closed permanently. At the same time, the new emergency opened up on Prince Philip Drive for children and their families.

As of today, all children�s health and rehabilitation services formerly at the old Janeway will be available at the new hospital. For the time being, however, Community Mental Health services and the Janeway Hostel remain open in Pleasantville.

The Health Care Corporation of St. John's has overseen the move of all Janeway services for several weeks now. Although a great deal of planning has gone into preparing and executing the moves, it is still a very exciting time for all concerned.

The people of Newfoundland and Labrador now have a brand new, state of the art facility, which will allow staff to continue the exemplary care carried out for the last 45 years at the old Janeway.

The official opening of the new Janeway will occur in June. However, I wanted to mark today�s move by congratulating everyone involved and wishing them all the best as they become familiar with their new surroundings.

I know that concern for the safety of patients and their families has been uppermost in everyone�s minds during the move. Now that testing of all major systems is complete, families can rest assured that their new facility is ready to meet the challenges that lie ahead. I hope the new facility offers a sense of pride for all and a sense of hope for families and their children.

Children will be better served by a facility designed specifically for them. The old Janeway had been a military hospital and was first opened as a children's hospital in 1966.

While it has been a staple in our health system over the years, we look forward now to a modern facility with all the bells and whistles of the 21st century. Children will have on-site access to sophisticated medical technology (such as the MRI), and to one-of-a-kind medical expertise. Mothers and ill newborns will be together in one setting, as compared to the former need to transport sick newborns from the Grace to the Janeway. Acute care and rehabilitation services for children will be fully integrated at the new facility. This process was begun more than four years ago when the Children's Rehabilitation Centre integrated with the current Janeway site. In addition, staff of the Child Health and Women's Health Programs will be able to strengthen research linkages with Memorial University at the new site.

I look forward to the official opening of the new facility when we can showcase this new children�s hospital for all residents of the province.

2001 05 24                                                    2:15 p.m.


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