has been the heartbeat of the community since its doors were opened on Feb. 8, 1974.
At the outset, its 75 extended care beds and host of services—from ambulatory care and diagnostic services to surgical and emergency department —served area residents well.
But five decades on, many aspects within the community have changed as the local population has increased and healthcare standards and technologies have been raised. And the efforts to keep its facilities in step with that progress have not always been matched.
That is why the Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation is in the midst of a campaign to raise $15 million to update its .
“Saanich Peninsula Hospital is at the heart of health care on the Saanich Peninsula,” says Deborah Rogers, the foundation’s director, marketing and communications. “The Acute Care Unit opened in 1978. Very little in terms of the hospital space has changed since that time, however, standards of care have changed significantly.”
Currently, the ACU is a cramped and busy place with little privacy for patients, or their visitors, and little respite from bright, noisy conditions. For its dedicated staff, it can be an inefficient place to work as current equipment has different space and power requirements than when the unit was built.
“The whole unit, from floor to ceiling needs a complete renovation to ensure a safe, healing environment, and a place staff feel good working in,” Rogers says.
A top priority of the updates is providing an efficient working area as a renovated layout will make the most of available space.
“This means more room for crucial healthcare equipment and more ergonomic spaces for patient care and staff workflow,” Rogers says. “Our staff will be able to move around the bedside more easily and have all the necessary equipment right at their fingertips.”
Safety is another core aspect of the upgrades as additional hand hygiene sinks will be installed to help ensure infection control remains a top priority. Also, privacy for patients will be increased thanks to reconfigured rooms providing more comfort for both patients and their visitors.
And staff will get better, more efficient work areas so they can focus on what matters most – providing exceptional care.
The fundraising campaign kicked off in the fall of 2023, and to date it has raised $8 million, just over half of its goal.
To help reach the $15 million mark, the community can support the efforts through a variety of initiatives, including the foundation’s Dream in on Nov. 9 at the Mary Winspear Centre that will celebrate the hospital’s 50th anniversary. Financial support for the event can be made by purchasing tickets to the gala, being a sponsor for the evening or donating and bidding on an item for the silent auction.
“When the fundraising campaign meets it goal the community will feel reassured their local hospital is equipped and can provide the modern facilities needed now and into the future, including improved patient safety, improved infection control measures, increased staff satisfaction, increased patient satisfaction, privacy, comfort and will meet current standards of practice,” Rogers says.
Support the transformation of Saanich Peninsula Hospital’s Acute Care Unit by donating today at . Your contribution will help improve patient care, safety and staff efficiency for the future.
