Cancer Clinic Gets Boost

Friday, April 03, 2009 02:51 PM

Architectural rendering of Northern Cancer Center

PRINCE GEORGE - The implementation of the Northern Cancer Control Strategy took a major step forward today with the release of the request for proposals for the BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North in Prince George.

The Northern Cancer Control Strategy includes:

* BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North: two linear accelerators, used in the delivery of radiation therapy treatment; one computerized-tomography (CT) simulator; a chemotherapy treatment unit including 11 treatment stations; a pharmacy; general outpatient clinics; and professional staff offices;

* Renovations to Prince George Regional Hospital to accommodate a new six-bed oncology unit; an expansion of pathology, laboratory and diagnostic imaging services; and additional support and office space;

* Enhancement of up to 11 Northern Health sites in communities outside of Prince George, including new community cancer clinics opened in Quesnel and Vanderhoof;

* The acquisition of new equipment and information technology, such as telehealth capability, at these sites to accommodate expansion of community cancer clinics.

Renovation at the Prince George Regional Hospital to expand the Diagnostic Imaging and Laboratory will start in summer 2009.

Construction of the BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North will start in the fall of 2009. The completion target for the entire project is 2012.

The facility is being pursued as a public private partnership. All health services will be funded by the Province of British Columbia through the Provincial Health Services Authority, the BC Cancer Agency, and Northern Health, in keeping with the Canada Health Act.

"The Fraser Fort George Regional Hospital District is pleased to be supporting the Northern Cancer Control Strategy with the contribution of $4 million for upgrades to Prince George Regional Hospital," said FFGRHD chair Stephanie Killam.

The annual number of new cancer diagnoses in the north is projected to reach approximately 1,288 cases by 2015.

"The programs, services and networks that will be made possible by the Northern Cancer Control Strategy will not only deliver state-of-the-art cancer care, they will help to reduce the impact of cancer before it begins, by encouraging healthier lifestyles, and providing better access to cancer screening across the north," said Brian Schmidt, BCCA interim president

When completed, the BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North will become the sixth regional cancer centre in British Columbia.

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Posted on Friday, April 03, 2009 02:51 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Ispy on April 3 2009 4:22 PM

Are they going to be able to staff it? Is there going to be anymore parking?Parking is atrocious for both staff and public now.

Posted by: gus on April 3 2009 5:14 PM

I was in Ontario recetnly and visited someone in the hospital on severa occasions. The hospital was a suburban hopsital about the size of PGRH. The had lots of land, so the parking was surface parking.

Here are the parking rates for visitors from their web site.

5-15 mins: $2.00
15-30 mins: $4.00
30-60 mins: $8.00
60-90 mins: $11.00
90-120 mins: $13.00
Daily Maximum: $14.00

They have plenty of space to park.

Posted by: Palopu on April 3 2009 5:49 PM

Considering that taxpayers paid for the hospital, plus, pays the salaries of all the doctors, nurses, etc. plus bought and paid for all the land to build on, you would think that the least these people could do, would be to supply free parking.

Why is it necessary to try and bleed the taxpayers for every cent possible. Its no different at CNC or UNBC, they grind you for your last dime for parking.

Same thing applies to BC Ferries, we pay for the ships, all the staff,etc out of tax dollars, and then they do some Voo Doo and call the service a Government Ferry Corporation, the Corporation has the authority to increase fares, so that it can operate at a profit, or at least at cost, however there is no reduction in taxes, and therefore we are paying for this service twice.

The same thing applies to airport authoritys.

Governments are double, and sometimes triple dipping on taxes, giving tax reductions with their right hand, and increasing costs for the use of parks, ICBC Insurance, etc to make up for the lost revenue, with their left hand.

When will we wake up and smell the roses.

Posted by: taxinapothole on April 3 2009 7:43 PM

Never Palopu!! Why do you think they want to take our guns away??? So we won't have an uprising! They have convinced most Canadians, and all the other country's in the world, that we are the best place to live! So now, we better tow the old line!!

I hope this clinic can diagnose cancer better than they did with me in Kelowna. They told me I had lung cancer, took half of one of my lungs out, and then told me they had good news for me.

The good news??? The specialist came to me on the ward and said "Sir, I have good news for you, you don't have cancer, you never had cancer"!! Now I deal with it. And that is the main reason I am looking at moving elsewhere. I don't breath so good anymore, and the air here is affecting me!!

Great that a cancer clinic is coming to the north! I just hope they have qualified people to run it.

Posted by: Eagleone on April 3 2009 8:59 PM

I don't get why the tax payer pays for everything and a private corporation gets to tax it? This triple P thing makes no sense in a health care setting. All it is is easy money for a private corp that will have no risk as the government always pays its rent. Its nothing more than skimming off the top some profits for private insiders.

I agree with Palopu about the parking lot thing. The CNC situation was so underhanded they implemented it during Christmas break and not even the faculty were informed of it until after the fact. The private company out of Alberta makes $1 million dollars a year off of CNC students to sweep and plow the lot. Its a complete rip off that the students pay, so that some politicians can enrich their friends by taxing students who need parking is all it is.