News release

Province Invests in Guysborough Memorial Hospital

Health and Wellness

The province is helping to make health care more convenient, comfortable and safer in the Guysborough area.

A multi-million dollar renovation to Guysborough Memorial Hospital will mean patients and families can access a range of health-care services under one roof instead of travelling long distances.

Premier Stephen McNeil, along with Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine and community leaders, announced $4.4 million in provincial funding towards the project in Guysborough today, Feb. 6.

"Patients and families will have better access to doctors, nurses, emergency care, mental health care, and other services," said Premier McNeil. "This project will help us provide quality care to Nova Scotians living in this area."

Mr. Glavine said the renovation will allow the facility to better accommodate a collaborative approach, with a nurse practitioner, a family practice nurse and other health-care providers.

"The health-care team has evolved and now the facility needs to as well," said Mr. Glavine. "When we talk about changing and improving health care, we need to talk about how our infrastructure can better meet the needs of the community.

"Local input has been really important in planning the redevelopment of this hospital and we listened."

The project will address needs identified by people in the community, such as locating inpatient and emergency services together for safety and efficiency, improving the central nursing station to better accommodate staff, and improve the registration, specimen collection and diagnostic imaging areas to be more confidential and private.

"The project will mean patients and families will be able to access confidential and private care for a range of co-ordinated services under one roof," said Nancy O'Regan, who raised four children in the community, has been a patient and a caregiver, and is now working with the Guysborough Memorial Hospital Foundation to support the enhancements. "For seniors like my parents, the improved access to doctors and care will be a big improvement."

The community is expected to raise additional funds toward construction. Work is expected to begin once fundraising is completed.