 |
| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
|
| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
VICTORIA – The new 500-bed Royal Jubilee Hospital project in Victoria reached an important milestone today with the selection of ISL Health as the preferred proponent.
“The new hospital is part of our comprehensive strategy to support today’s health-care needs as well as build capacity to meet future demand,” said Health Minister George Abbott. “As we are seeing with the Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre and the Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre, the public-private partnership model can save taxpayers money that allows us to redirect funds towards direct patient care.”
The naming of ISL Health as the preferred proponent follows an extensive evaluation of proposals from the three teams who were short-listed and invited to submit proposals to design, build, finance and maintain a patient care centre that:
· Is designed to be elder-friendly;
· Will attract and retain health-care professionals; and
· Will be high-performing, sustainable and energy efficient.
“We are seeing record levels of improvements in new and existing health-care infrastructure across the province, including south Vancouver Island,” said Oak Bay-Gordon Head Ida Chong. “Work includes the new 500-bed Royal Jubilee Hospital as well as a new emergency department at Victoria General Hospital.”
The next stage in the competitive selection process is to begin negotiations with ISL Health – a process that would be expected to culminate in a project agreement later this spring. The purpose of the negotiation is to finalize a fixed project cost that maximizes value for taxpayers.
“It is exciting to see plans for a new, much-needed hospital moving forward,” said Saanich North and the Islands MLA Murray Coell. “The need to replace the existing Royal Jubilee Hospital is clear to everyone, and the new hospital is part of our commitment to providing Victoria area residents with state-of-the-art health facilities.”
“The new Patient Care Centre is one of VIHA’s top priorities and will make a huge difference to the patients we serve,” said VIHA board chair Jac Kreut. “The evaluation process was very extensive and thorough, culminating in the board’s approval to enter into negotiations with ISL, and we’re very pleased to be moving on to the negotiation stage.”
A fairness advisor, ADR Chambers Inc., was appointed to oversee and monitor the entire evaluation to ensure the process undertaken was fair and followed the requirements outlined in the RFP. The report of the fairness advisor concluded, “We are of the view that the Evaluation of the Proposals met the criteria of fairness, openness, transparency and integrity.” The fairness advisor’s report is publicly available on Partnerships BC’s website at www.partnershipsbc.ca.
The 500-bed Royal Jubilee Hospital project was announced by the Province on May 4, 2007. Construction is expected to begin in 2008 and be completed in 2010. The project is funded by the Province, the Vancouver Island Health Authority and the Capital Regional Hospital District.
All health services will be funded by the Province of B.C., through VIHA, in keeping with the principles of the Canada Health Act.
-30-
|
|
||
|
contact: |
Communications Director Ministry of Health 250 812-5571 (cell) 250 952-1887 (media line) |
Communications Vancouver Island Health Authority 250 370-8270 |
|
|
||
|
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
||
