Northern Health is looking at a variety of plans to accommodate unprecedented demands for acute care seen over the last six months at University Hospital of Northern B.C. in Prince George.
Solutions discussed Monday at the Northern Health board meeting included increased home support services and starting a Seriously Addicted and Mentally Ill (SMAI) team in Prince George and a partnership between mental health and RCMP, both by January.
To increase residential care, the complex care bed area of the Gateway Lodge will be renovated and opened by February. Long term plans for residential care began in June and has forecast needs and options for increasing residential capacity in Prince George. More steps will be discussed at the board's next meeting in February.
Furthermore, Northern Health will create a short stay assessment unit and a high acuity unit at UHNBC, both to be implemented by the end of Janunary. Northern Health will also work on a long term master plan for the hospital site, including surgical services, internal medicine, rehabilitation and psychiatry.
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Also on Monday's agenda were preparations for the influx of about 15,000 people when the Canada Winter Games comes to Prince George in February.
Provision of care was discussed, highlighting a need for full care for all athletes as well as spectators. Athletes may need medical assistance on the field of play, at games venues or at the polyclinic set up specifically for the games. Spectators will have access to first aid at ticketed venues.
High risk and moderate risk sports will have a physician on site, as well as a physiotherapist, with ambulance on site for high risk and on call for moderate risk. Lower risk sports will have a physiotherapist and ambulance on call and all venues will have a medical team representative like a nurse or paramedic.
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Also on the agenda was Northern Health's agreement with local walk-in clinics to expand hours of operation during the games.
Training and education of medical volunteers from northern BC will take place and include things like a sports first responder course, and concussion workshops.
Those medical volunteers include 56 physicians, 24 physiotherapists, two athletic therapists, and 33 nurses, who are from Williams Lake, Quesnel, Burns Lake, Vanderhoof, Prince George, McBride, Chetwynd, 100 Mile House and Fraser Lake.
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An update on the construction of the Learning and Development Centre located at UHNBC is progressing well. The building is enclosed and mechanical and electrical systems are currently being installed.
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Northern Health reports it is participating with the Ministry of Health in planning the response to the Ebola virus disease but there are still no known cases in Canada and the risk of Ebola to the people of British Columbia is extremely low.
Despite the low risk there are still protocols in place to protect the public, including emergency department algorithm for screening and triage, training and education to properly use personal protective equipment, housekeeping and waste management guidelines, as well as recommended staffing guidelines for providing care to an Ebola patient.
