Executive Council
Health and Community Services
Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
February 25, 2011
New Chemotherapy Suite Officially Opened at the Labrador Health Centre
Patients in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and surrounding areas who require chemotherapy are benefitting from a new chemotherapy suite that has been completed in the Labrador Health Centre. The unit, which became operational on January 3, was officially opened today by the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Premier was joined by the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services; the Honourable John Hickey, Minister of Labrador Affairs, and MHA for Lake Melville; Boyd Rowe, CEO, Labrador-Grenfell Health; and, Leo Abbass, Mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
“This new chemotherapy suite offers patients at the Labrador Health Centre a more private and comfortable setting to receive treatment, while enhancing the delivery of services and safety of patients,” said Premier Dunderdale. “Receiving any kind of treatment or procedure is often taxing and stressful. Our government understands that health care is not just about the quantity of services that can be provided, but the quality and compassion experienced by patients as they use those services.”
“Our government is continuing to invest in areas of our health care system that increases the services, while at the same time addresses the needs of the people,” said Minister Kennedy. “This chemotherapy suite was built in response to a specific identified need for this area and we will maintain a steady course of delivering infrastructure, equipment and program funding that best serves the needs of each region and the entire province.”
Funding announced in Budget 2009 provided over $1 million for the development of the chemotherapy suite. Due to a growing number of clients requiring chemotherapy and intravenous medication in the region, the previous delivery of services called for a more streamlined and coordinated approach. The new suite will now better meet the needs of patients and the requirements of medical staff who monitor and administer the treatments.
“Compassionate and effective patient care must always be of the highest importance, and this new chemotherapy suite is an essential piece of the Labrador Health Centre that is helping to achieve a high quality of care,” said Minister Hickey. “Many of us have experienced friends and family members go through such an ordeal, and to have a state-of-the-art facility near to their homes and loved-ones offers added comfort.”
This new suite is located adjacent to the emergency department and patients and families access the unit through the link between the hospital and newly-opened long-term care facility. The unit is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and can accommodate up to three patients at a time. The unit is equipped with patient care furniture and equipment such as chemotherapy chairs and a bed. Other amenities include a separate waiting/comfort area for family members and a kitchen. The unit is staffed by an infusion/chemotherapy nurse who is available to monitor the administration of medication, answer questions and has easy access to the emergency department and the physician on duty. In the coming weeks, patients requiring intravenous medication services will also be accommodated in this suite.
“A comfortable and quality treatment experience is hugely important to our clients in their brave fight against cancer,” said Mr. Rowe. “With that in mind, I thank the Provincial Government for its investment to make this new chemotherapy suite possible. Through this new unit, we will be able to significantly improve the patient experience – to help make it as comfortable as possible and ensure that our clients can access the very best in chemotherapy services.”
In November 2010, the Provincial Government released the Provincial Cancer Control Strategy which focuses on reducing the incidence and impact of cancer and improving the quality of life for those living with cancer in Newfoundland and Labrador.
This initiative will complement the over $125 million in cancer prevention and treatment invested in the province over the last seven years, including $19.5 million from Budget 2010: The Right Investments For Our Children and Our Future that is being used to enhance cancer treatment and prevention throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
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Media contacts:
| Glenda Power Director of Communications Office of the Premier 709-729-3960 glendapower@gov.nl.ca |
Milly Brown Press Secretary Office of the Premier 709-729-4304, 631-8477 millybrown@gov.nl.ca |
| Tansy Mundon Director of Communications Department of Health and Community Services 709-729-1377, 685-2646 tansymundon@gov.nl.ca |
John Tompkins Director of Communications Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs 709-729-1674, 728-7762 jtompkins@gov.nl.ca |
| Alison Dower Regional Director of Communications Labrador-Grenfell Health 709-454-0128, 454-1205 alison.dower@lghealth.ca |
2011 02 25 10:40 a.m.