Manitobans living in Western Manitoba will soon benefit from a new hospital in Neepawa as part of the province’s commitment to provide better health care for all Manitobans by focusing on reducing wait times, improving access to care and providing more services closer to home, Premier Heather Stefanson and Health and Seniors Care Minister Audrey Gordon announced here today.
“Across the province, strategic investments in modern buildings, equipment and technology will support the delivery of many health services locally, improve access and wait times, and reduce the need for many patients to travel to Winnipeg for care,” said Stefanson. “By investing in the new Neepawa Hospital, our government is building a strong foundation for the future of health care in this region of our province, a future that will offer reliable, consistent and high-quality health services.”
The new facility represents an investment of at least $127 million. A site for the new facility is being finalized and will be announced at a later date. While located in Neepawa, the facility will serve patients from the broader geographic area in need of more specialized services, reducing their need to travel to larger centres like Brandon or Winnipeg, the premier noted.
Features of the new facility, which will replace the existing Neepawa Health Centre, include:
· at least 60 acute care inpatient beds, up from 35 at the current Neepawa site;
· an expanded emergency department designed to best practice standards that includes treatment and assessment rooms, a trauma room, stretcher bay and an ambulance bay; and
· enhanced space for a number of programs, such as surgery, diagnostics and palliative care as well as various outpatient services including dialysis and chemotherapy.
The new facility is expected to be at least twice the size of the current site. Construction is tentatively slated for completion in 2025.
“This significant investment reflects our government’s strong commitment to meeting the evolving health needs of residents from across the Westman region,” said Gordon. “The new hospital will provide a newer, more modern space for residents of Neepawa and surrounding communities as well as additional care options closer to home.”
First announced in Budget 2021, Manitoba is investing a historic $812-million capital investment in building, expanding and renovating health-care facilities across the province in support of Manitoba’s Clinical and Preventive Services Plan led and developed by clinicians. The new Neepawa facility will perform an important role within the new provincial clinical network, which will deliver health services to Manitobans through a geographically organized, integrated network of care.
“The Neepawa Health Centre provides essential services for a growing population in Neepawa and the surrounding area. The area is supported by a group of physicians whose skills support the delivery of many important specialized services locally,” said Brian Schoonbaert, CEO, Prairie Mountain Health. “This investment and expanded physical space will allow for our services to grow alongside our population, continuing our region’s focus on providing high-quality, coordinated care in this part of the province.”
These projects are the latest in Manitoba’s commitment to better care sooner, which has seen significant infrastructure investments at health facilities throughout the province, including the new Selkirk Regional Health Centre, Health Sciences Centre Women’s Hospital and new emergency departments in Flin Flon, Dauphin and at Winnipeg’s Grace and St. Boniface hospitals.
For more information on Manitoba’s Clinical and Preventive Services Plan, visit https://sharedhealthmb.ca/wp-content/uploads/CPSP_Overview_NL.pdf.
(Province of MB News Release)
