News release

Planning Begins for Facility to Replace North Cumberland Hospital

Health and Wellness

The province will build a new health care facility to replace the outdated North Cumberland Memorial Hospital in Pugwash.

It will house a collaborative emergency centre and provide better access to health care for patients and families.

Brian Skabar, MLA for Cumberland North, made the announcement on behalf of Maureen MacDonald, Minister of Health and Wellness. It is part of the province's new capital plan to make life better for families.

"This new health care centre will enhance health care in the community," Mr. Skabar said, today, Dec. 2 at the hospital. "It will greatly improve patient access and working conditions for physicians and staff."

The outdated, two-storey hospital was built in the 1960s and is not suited for collaborative, patient-centred health care. For instance, there is no elevator, making much of the building inaccessible.

Cumberland Health Authority and Department of Health and Wellness staff will work with the community to plan the new health centre. A construction report will confirm the scope, size and cost.

"This is wonderful news for the North Cumberland area," said Bruce Quigley, chief executive officer, Cumberland Health Authority. "It will certainly help us move our conversations forward with health-care professionals and the citizens of the Pugwash area to ensure the new model for health-care delivery meets this community's needs."

Planning funding will come from a capital investment fund earmarked for developing new Collaborative Emergency Centres across the province, part of the Better Care Sooner plan to improve emergency care.

Collaborative emergency centres help to address emergency department overcrowding and long waits to see family doctors. These centres will keep emergency departments open, reduce patient wait times and provide continuity of care through health care teams.