The provincial government is dropping jaws with announced plans to replace St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital in St. John’s.
Premier Andrew Furey, Health Minister Tom Osborne and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Elvis Loveless made the announcement—which appeared to come out of the blue—this morning.
Government says while the site of the new hospital has not been finalized, the nearby site of the former Grace Hospital is being considered.
The province says consultants will be engaged this fall to begin planning. The new facility will include early learning and child care resources to help accommodate health professionals with child care needs.
Firey says he thinks the old Grace Hospital site would make a great place for the new facility, though he stresses that no decisions on that front have been made @VOCMNEWS pic.twitter.com/EEOjzhkui8
— Richard Duggan (@RDugganVOCM) October 31, 2022
Premier Andrew Furey says planning is in the very early phases.
He says they’re in the process of evaluating what will be needed in a new, modern facility, and RFQ and RFP will be issued once that’s established.
The provincial government announced a surplus in its fall fiscal update, with $500 dollars in cost-of-living benefits going out to all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who make $100,000 dollars a year or less and the development of a Future Fund
St. Clare's celebrated its 100th anniversary earlier this year @VOCMNEWS pic.twitter.com/3xE8cQ9862
— Richard Duggan (@RDugganVOCM) October 31, 2022
NAPE President Jerry Earle says he’s surprised but pleasantly so.
Earle says there’s little doubt St. Clare’s is an aging facility, but he wants to make sure that government has a human resources plan in place to make sure a new hospital is adequately staffed.
He says a new hospital is not something that will come together quickly, so the development of a human resource plan in the meantime will be critical.
