Vancouver Island Health Authority

Dr. Dorothy (Sam) Williams, chief of staff and medical director for West Coast General Hospital, checks out an artist’s rendering of the remodeled emergency department. An official groundbreaking for the $6.2-million expansion took place Oct. 8, 2021, although construction began in September. (PHOTO COURTESY ISLAND HEALTH)

$6.2M expansion at West Coast General Hospital brings improvement to patient care

Plans include seclusion room for people in crisis, separate entrance for ambulances

 

A small group of former workers, workers and family members of residents walk with placards protesting conditions at Fir Park Village on Wallace Street and Echo Village on 10th Avenue, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021 in Port Alberni. (MIKE YOUDS/ Special to the AV News)

Protesters hold second rally for senior care homes in Port Alberni

‘Nobody is listening…’

 

A construction worker lifts a piece of plywood onto sawhorses on top of the helipad outside the West Coast General Hospital’s emergency department on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Work has begun on the $6.25-million emergency department expansion. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Construction begins on West Coast General Hospital expansion

$6.25M expansion will see larger emergency department at Port Alberni’s hospital

 

Family, friends and supporters gathered for a quiet memorial behind the Port Alberni Friendship Center on Sept. 1, 2021 to remember Russell Seeber, whose life ended tragically at the same location a few days earlier. A cross has been erected as a physical memorial. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Friends, family remember Port Alberni’s Russell Seeber as ‘lost soul,’ ‘helpful man’

Advocates say Seeber’s death underlines need for 24-hour crisis response

Family, friends and supporters gathered for a quiet memorial behind the Port Alberni Friendship Center on Sept. 1, 2021 to remember Russell Seeber, whose life ended tragically at the same location a few days earlier. A cross has been erected as a physical memorial. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
A construction worker lifts a piece of plywood onto sawhorses on top of the helipad outside the West Coast General Hospital’s emergency department on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Work has begun on the $6.25-million emergency department expansion. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Construction begins on West Coast General Hospital expansion

$6.25M expansion will see larger emergency department at Port Alberni’s hospital

A construction worker lifts a piece of plywood onto sawhorses on top of the helipad outside the West Coast General Hospital’s emergency department on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Work has begun on the $6.25-million emergency department expansion. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Members of the Island Health team Carlee Bushell (back row left), Dr. Mike Benusic, Charlotte Brown, Kaylee Gray, Matt Erickson (front row left) and Mike Munro in front of the health authority’s new mobile vaccination clinic, the Vax Van. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)

Island Health launches mobile first-vaccination clinic across south island communities

Vax Van aims to reach vaccine hesitant people age 18 to 40 where they’re at

Members of the Island Health team Carlee Bushell (back row left), Dr. Mike Benusic, Charlotte Brown, Kaylee Gray, Matt Erickson (front row left) and Mike Munro in front of the health authority’s new mobile vaccination clinic, the Vax Van. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)
Things are looking up for Vancouver Island as zero COVID-19 cases have been reported for the first time since October. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Island records zero new COVID-19 cases for the first time since October

For the first time since October, the province is reporting zero new…

Things are looking up for Vancouver Island as zero COVID-19 cases have been reported for the first time since October. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A nurse gets a swab ready to perform a test on a patient at a drive-in COVID-19 clinic in Montreal, on Wednesday, October 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Island’s daily COVID-19 case count drops below 10 for just the second time in 2021

Province reports 8 new COVID-19 cases on Vancouver Island Wednesday

A nurse gets a swab ready to perform a test on a patient at a drive-in COVID-19 clinic in Montreal, on Wednesday, October 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Victor Osborne, 102, of Nanaimo, who was born during the Spanish flu pandemic and took part in an influenza A vaccine trial while in the Royal Navy in 1934, will get his first COVID-19 vaccine dose on Monday, March 15. (News Bulletin file photo)

102-year-old Nanaimo veteran born during our last pandemic books his COVID-19 shot

Victor Osborne is no stranger to new vaccines

Victor Osborne, 102, of Nanaimo, who was born during the Spanish flu pandemic and took part in an influenza A vaccine trial while in the Royal Navy in 1934, will get his first COVID-19 vaccine dose on Monday, March 15. (News Bulletin file photo)
Since the Saanich Peninsula Hospital COVID-19 outbreak was declared Dec.1, 22 people have tested positive, four of which have died. (Arnold Lim/Black Press)

Death count up to 4 in Vancouver Island hospital COVID-19 outbreak

Total of 11 patients and 11 staff members have tested positive at Saanich Peninsula Hospital

Since the Saanich Peninsula Hospital COVID-19 outbreak was declared Dec.1, 22 people have tested positive, four of which have died. (Arnold Lim/Black Press)
Riley and Samuel, Jennifer Carroll’s sons, help deliver popcorn to a medical department that was involved in a transplant in a previous year. Operation Popcorn is BC Transplant’s way of saying thank you to medical staff for their role in ilfesaving transplants. (FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER CARROLL)

One family’s decision gives three people the ultimate gift on Christmas Day

Jennifer Carroll of Port Alberni has a special reason to reflect on the spirit of giving

Riley and Samuel, Jennifer Carroll’s sons, help deliver popcorn to a medical department that was involved in a transplant in a previous year. Operation Popcorn is BC Transplant’s way of saying thank you to medical staff for their role in ilfesaving transplants. (FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER CARROLL)
Riley and Samuel, Jennifer Carroll’s sons, help deliver popcorn to a medical department that was involved in a transplant in a previous year. Operation Popcorn is BC Transplant’s way of saying thank you to medical staff for their role in ilfesaving transplants. (FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER CARROLL)

One family’s decision gives three people the ultimate gift on Christmas Day

Jennifer Carroll of Port Alberni has a special reason to reflect on the spirit of giving

Riley and Samuel, Jennifer Carroll’s sons, help deliver popcorn to a medical department that was involved in a transplant in a previous year. Operation Popcorn is BC Transplant’s way of saying thank you to medical staff for their role in ilfesaving transplants. (FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER CARROLL)
More than 46 per cent of Vancouver Island residents reported worsening health during COVID-19 in a province-wide survey released Dec. 4. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Islanders’ mental health takes heavy hit under COVID-19: survey results

COVID-19 SPEAK survey collected results from nearly 400,000 B.C. residents

More than 46 per cent of Vancouver Island residents reported worsening health during COVID-19 in a province-wide survey released Dec. 4. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Health officials are discouraging travel to and from Vancouver Island as COVID-19 cases rise. (Black Press Media file photo)

At least 86 of the Island’s fall COVID-19 cases were people who travelled

More than 500 Vancouver Islanders currently isolating after COVID-19 exposures

Health officials are discouraging travel to and from Vancouver Island as COVID-19 cases rise. (Black Press Media file photo)
(Black Press Media file photo)

Contact tracing now mandatory at Vancouver Island campgrounds, RV parks

As of Nov. 13, owners must collect information from each patron

(Black Press Media file photo)
The flu shot is in high demand across Vancouver Island. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Flu vaccine runs low in Greater Victoria

Demand for flu shot spikes across Vancouver Island

The flu shot is in high demand across Vancouver Island. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Dan Kelly, a 71-year-old retired firefighter, walking within an hour of his second hip replacement surgery, thanks to a new pilot project aimed at shortening recovery time. (Courtesy of Island Health)

New Island Health surgical program may be used to address COVID-19 surgery backlog

Pilot project speeds up joint replacement recovery time

Dan Kelly, a 71-year-old retired firefighter, walking within an hour of his second hip replacement surgery, thanks to a new pilot project aimed at shortening recovery time. (Courtesy of Island Health)
Getting access to a COVID-19 test should only take up to two days in the Island Health region but getting through to the health authority’s testing call centre might require some patience. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Elaine Thompson)

High call volumes cause delays for Island Health’s COVID-19 call centre

Increased cases, technical difficulties cause 60 to 90-minute phone waits for some callers

Getting access to a COVID-19 test should only take up to two days in the Island Health region but getting through to the health authority’s testing call centre might require some patience. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Elaine Thompson)
The Saanich Peninsula Hospital. (Arnold Lim / Black Press)

MLA ‘devastated’ by claims of racist blood-alcohol ‘game’ at Saanich Peninsula Hospital

Adam Olsen says racism in B.C. health care system is pervasive

The Saanich Peninsula Hospital. (Arnold Lim / Black Press)
Still no COVID-19 cases at Island Health long-term care facilities

Still no COVID-19 cases at Island Health long-term care facilities

Health authority takes ‘robust’ management approach to all illness outbreaks

Still no COVID-19 cases at Island Health long-term care facilities