Campbellford hospital receives funding for ‘dire’ upgrades

The provincial government has announced a $170,000 boost in funding for Campbellford Memorial Hospital.

On Thursday, Northumberland-Quinte West MPP Lou Rinaldi said the money would be earmarked for key upgrades to the heating and air conditioning system to the hospital’s first-floor inpatient unit. The hospital is located about 55 kilometres east of Peterborough.

“The funding allows us to address high priority repairs to the hospital’s buildings to ensure that we are able to provide the highest quality and safest care to patients,” said Varouj Efkedjian, hospital interim president and CEO

Rinaldi also announced nearly $500,000 for the Quinte Healthcare Corporation and $17,000 for Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg.

“These crucial investments in hospital infrastructure ensure patients are cared for in a safe and secure environment,” said Rinaldi. “Hospitals are the cornerstone of many of our communities so it’s important that we make these crucial investments to upgrade our facilities to help provide the highest quality of care possible across this riding and the province.”

Trent Hills Mayor Hector Macmillan praised the funding as work continues on a potential new hospital. Campbellford Memorial Hospital was built in 1953 and last saw major upgrades 30 years ago.

“We’re going to continue that path,” said Macmillan. “I’ll liken it to a car: Until we can afford a new one, we got to keep the existing one on the road.”

Rinaldi met with hospital staff to hear their vision of a new hospital.

“This hospital is 50 to 60 years old and the way we do things today is quite different,” said Rinaldi. “So we have to make sure that whatever we build, whatever we do, whatever direction we go, that it meets all new standards of today but we also need to think of the future.”

Upgrades to the hospital are expecting to begin later this summer.