Funding to Improve Valley Health

The Nova Scotia government has pledged up to $1 million this year to improve health care in the Annapolis Valley.

Premier John Hamm made the announcement today, April 15, following a meeting with nurses at the Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville.

"This capital grant will help hospitals like this one best meet the needs of the people who live here," said the premier. "Our investment will be used to look at the district's population and health-care needs and how we can best target dollars to improve local services."

Annapolis Valley Health (AVH) will use the provincial dollars to conduct a study of the local population and the current services provided, along with developing a master plan for physical infrastructure.

A number of problems have been identified in the Annapolis Valley District Health Authority in recent years including limited ambulatory care areas despite a growth in outpatient demand, as well as outdated operating and emergency rooms.

"We are very pleased with the announcement today," said Dave Logie, board chair for AVH. "This district provides a wide range of services to residents of our area and regional services to the people of western Nova Scotia and Windsor. This study will highlight the needs of our facilities, services and programs and will bring a better understanding of the health needs of this district."

Should the study and master plan conclude that changes are needed to improve care, the provincial investment will also help cover the costs of planning for alterations to, or construction of, facilities. William Nycum and Associates, a Nova Scotia company that has done similar work in other areas of the province, was the successful bidder on the study and master plan contract.

Nova Scotia's plan for better health, Your Health Matters, calls for using meaningful, reliable information to shorten wait lists and eliminate backlogs.