Proposed Long Term Care Facility For Campbell River

The proposed long term care facility for Campbell River will alleviate the shortage of beds the Campbell River hospital has suffered since it opened, according to city councilors.

The proposed long term care facility for Campbell River will alleviate the shortage of beds the Campbell River hospital has suffered since it opened, according to city councilors.

Earlier this month it was announced that the Comox-Strathcona Regional Hospital District has approved cost sharing with Island Health for a proposed long-term care facility in Campbell River.

Creating additional local long-term care capacity can relieve pressure on hospitals by reducing waitlist times for eligible patients who may otherwise need to remain in a hospital bed, the CSRHD announcement said. Further, reducing waitlist times for people waiting in community to access long-term care can create better availability for community-based services, enabling more people to receive necessary care in their homes and lessening the need for higher levels of care such as hospitals or long-term care.

Councilor Charlie Cornfield said the CSRHD doesn’t normally fund these types of facilities and it says a lot that both the Comox Valley Regional District and the Strathcona Regional District came together to support it.

Adding, it is a “fairly expensive” project at “$150 million or so” but it will not result in a tax increase, the current hospital district tax that has stayed consistent over the last 15 or 20 years will remain the same.