Watson Lake Hospital now part of Yukon Hospital Corporation
April 9, 2010
WHITEHORSE – Effective April 1, 2010, history was made when the Watson Lake Hospital became part of the Yukon Hospital Corporation (YHC). This followed a 13-month management agreement with Health and Social Services.
Health and Social Services and the YHC spent this past year determining if the transfer to the YHC was feasible and appropriate. On July 29, 2009 the announcement was made in Watson Lake that the Board of Trustees of the YHC agreed to accept the transfer of the hospital.
“This coming Saturday, staff at the Watson Lake Hospital will gather at a special celebration to say goodbye to their old employer and be welcomed by their new employer,” said Health and Social Services Minister Glenn Hart. “With the signing late last week of the transfer agreement, we have agreed that this is best for the community of Watson Lake.”
Employees at the Watson Lake Hospital received job offers from both the government and the corporation earlier this year. Five staff will remain with Health and Social Services and will continue to operate the Watson Lake Health Centre, and 25 have started new employment with YHC.
“This transfer agreement has aligned the Yukon Hospital Corporation with its mission to provide quality acute care for Yukoners,” said Craig Tuton, Chair for the YHC Board of Trustees. “At this time, I would like to extend a huge thank you to all those government and Corporation staff who have worked tirelessly over the past year to make this a reality,” said Tuton. “Work will continue at a brisk pace as plans for the new hospital facility take shape.”
The new Watson Lake Hospital is set for completion in early 2012.
The transfer of the hospital facility was one of the recommendations in the 2008 Yukon Health Care Sustainability Review, and is consistent with the Hospital Act.
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