Premier, minister check on Brandon hospital expansion

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This article was published 30/03/2023 (1232 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRANDON — There was a pause in construction at the Brandon Regional Health Centre Wednesday, as Manitoba’s premier and health minister checked on the progress of the government’s nearly $110-million investment.

A new intensive care unit is in the works, medical beds are being added to the second floor, and the neonatal intensive care unit is being renovated.

The Western Manitoba Cancer Centre is being built on the hospital grounds.

Funding for both projects was announced in 2019 by then-premier Brian Pallister, but Premier Heather Stefanson said investments like these that improve the health and well-being of Manitobans are important.

“The government remains steadfast in our commitment to health care in Manitoba, and we are providing historic investments to help reduce wait times improve access and provide more services to Manitobans closer to home,” Stefanson said.

Financial contributions have been made by the Brandon Regional Health Care Foundation, the City of Brandon, and the municipalities of Elton, Whitehead and Cornwallis, said Prairie Mountain Health CEO Brian Schoonbaert.

“There will be four storeys with a new 16-bed intensive care unit, 30 additional medical beds — bringing our number up to 90 beds — and we’re renovating our existing neonatal intensive care unit,” Schoonbaert said, “There is even space on the fourth floor for potential expansion in the future.”

It’s not known how many new medical personnel will be required to work in the new and expanded spaces, but Health Minister Audrey Gordon said her government’s health human resource action plan will recruit workers, specifically nurses.

The $200-million action plan was announced last November, and is the government’s attempt to retain, train and recruit health-care professionals. Gordon repeated that incentives will attract workers from overseas, such as the Philippines.

“So, it’s about a little bit of build it, they’ll come, you know, but recognizing that meaningful and concrete steps must be put in place for that to happen. That’s where the health human resource action plan is helping,” she said.

The target completion date at the hospital is 2025.

— Brandon Sun