Hamilton Health Sciences President and CEO, Rob MacIsacc.
It was the news we were all waiting for when Premier Doug Ford announced “A new hospital is coming soon,” at our West Lincoln Memorial site in November.
On a tour of the building that morning, Premier Ford underscored his commitment by signing it onto a white board, leading staff to joke that they would never allow his writing to be erased.
Premier Ford’s commitment is a significant milestone. We are at an important juncture in West Lincoln Memorial’s history. People are understandably passionate about a hospital where their babies are born, where their neighbours work and where their aging parents receive medical care.
For many months, our community has been passionately involved in a discussion about the future of our facility. Residents raised concerns about the possibility of services being relocated. Others have asked questions about staff resources and the feasibility of keeping the hospital open.
Without a doubt, the aging facility faces a number of challenges. Its crumbling infrastructure gives rise to concerns about our ability to continue indefinitely providing safe care. As a health care provider, our first priority has to always be our patients and the quality of care we provide.
That is why we were so incredibly thankful for Premier Ford’s additional investment of $8.5 million in our current facility. This funding will help to maintain our existing facilities, including the cooling and heating, plumbing and electrical systems, while we do the planning for a new hospital.
Premier Ford also acknowledged the importance of maintaining existing surgical and obstetric services onsite at West Lincoln Memorial Hospital during the transition period to a new facility.
I want to assure you that we are working closely with our dedicated staff and physicians to deliver on the Premier’s commitment.
We know there is still a lot of work to be done and we are looking forward to West Lincoln Memorial’s future. You have my promise that we will listen carefully to feedback from our community as planning for the new hospital proceeds.
We care deeply about our staff and physicians, patients and our community. Thank you for making your voices heard and for advocating so passionately – you have helped secure the future of WLMH.
Rob MacIsacc is the President and CEO of Hamilton Health Sciences.
