45 beds to open in the old hospital in Corner Brook for long-term care patients

Bay of Islands MHA Eddie Joyce says between 60 and 80 patients currently at the new hospital should be in long-term care beds.

When planning for the new hospital in Corner Brook back in 2016, MHA Gerry Byrne says there were many beds in the old hospital being taken up by those requiring long term care. He says these patients do not require intensive acute medical care but need services and assistance just for normal living. Byrne says this meant less spaces for those patients who needed to be admitted. He says that’s why the new Long Term care facility was built before and next to the new acute care hospital but the demand has grown. Byrne says 45 beds in the old hospital will be made available for long term care patients and if there is a need for additional facilities, government will look at that as well. 

Meanwhile, Bay of Islands MHA Eddie Joyce says clearly the issue is the number of long-term care patients in acute care beds at the new Western Memorial Regional Hospital. He says it’s been an issue since the move into the new facility and before. People are being turned away, living in corridors, and it’s shocking government would let this happen. Joyce says it’s a sad day when politics interferes with our health care. He says government had information during the move that there would be a crisis and even before during the planning phase. Joyce says between 60 and 80 patients currently at the new hospital should be in long-term care beds. The new hospital has 164 beds.