MEDIA RELEASE

September 8, 2009

For Immediate Release

Ribbon Cuttings open new Hospital Critical Care and Mental Health Units

With two countdowns and the snip of many scissors HPHA’s Stratford General Hospital site gave the public its first glimpse of things to come at the Ribbon Cuttings and Open House event for Critical Care Unit and the new Rotary Inpatient Mental Health Unit. These units are the second part of the Alliance’s $65-million redevelopment project to be “patient ready”. The Paediatric Unit, the first area completed, was opened in July. The New North wing completion is anticipated in early 2010.

According to Dr Laurel Moore, Chief of Staff, each year some 600 patients from throughout our region come through our ICU and Telemetry Units. These are critically ill patients in need or our most “intensive care”. The new unit is larger, brighter, with patient rooms that allow for new technology and access for family members.

“Today marks a significant milestone for our hospital and the care we provide to patients from throughout Huron, Perth and Oxford counties,” says Dr. Moore. “Four out of five Ontarians will have family, friends or colleagues who experience a mental illness during their lifetime. Now, when those people need our help the most, we’ll be able to provide the kind, compassionate, effective care they need in a facility that will help contribute towards their healing.” 

A number of key campaign donors were recognized for their generous support of the units, including pace setting sponsors ScotiaBank who are contributing $100,000 to name the Critical Care Unit Nursing Station and the Stratford Rotary Club with their pledge of $200,000 to name the new Mental Health Unit.

Room and equipment sponsors such as Strickland’s Automart, Lloyd Albert and Mary Martin Heipel, in memory of H. Raymond and Helen Sinclair, Wilf and Ann Gregory and especially all of the Critical Care Unit staff (who named two rooms through payroll deduction) were also recognized for their generous support. “Our $20 million fundraising campaign now stands at $18.4 million in cash and pledges,” said Campaign Co-Chair Bill Preston. “Support from the general public and these generous donors is outstanding and inspiring to us all. We look forward to reaching our goal and the Grand Opening celebrations for the entire project.”

“We’re confident these units will help us meet our commitment to providing the highest quality care to our patients.” stated HPHA Chief Executive Officer Andrew Williams. “Our health care team had extensive input in the planning and design of these units, but it is the grand effort of many…including staff, physicians, volunteers, municipal and provincial governments, our construction team, and the tremendous support of our community that has made today possible,” he said.

For Additional Information, contact:

Andrea Page, CFRE
Executive Director, Stratford General Hospital Foundation
(519) 272-8210 ext 2627