People will have better access to emergency services at Langley Memorial Hospital as construction has officially started on an expanded emergency department.

Once complete, people in need of emergency care will have access to improved services.

“As Langley continues to grow and thrive, hospital services must keep up to the increasing demand for emergency services,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “Our government’s investment means this expansion will finally get underway and help ensure patients get better access to emergency health care when they need it.”

Fraser Health is contributing $29.32 million toward this project and the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation is contributing $10 million, for a total project cost of $39.32 million.

The prior plan for the project, announced in March 2017, left unresolved questions about the Province's share of the funding. The plans also significantly underestimated the cost of the project.

The expanded emergency department will increase the number of treatment spaces to 49 from 31. It will include a separate pediatric waiting area for children and, to increase privacy, different entries will be installed to separate walk-in patients from those who arrive by ambulance.

A new secure, separate treatment area will be built for mental-health and substance-use patients so their needs can be addressed privately and in a way that best supports the care they require.

Construction work is expected to be complete late 2020.

Quotes:

Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO, Fraser Health –

“An expanded emergency department at Langley Memorial Hospital will deliver specialized, patient-centred care to people living in this community, whether it’s families seeking emergency care for their children, or people who are presenting to hospital with mental-health or substance-use concerns. This much-needed improvement will help staff and physicians build on the excellent care they already provide.”

Vivian Smith, executive director, Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation –

“This is an exciting milestone for all the community members who have stepped up to help make this project a reality. We see how much the new emergency department means to everyone in Langley and are honoured to be a partner in improving urgent health-care services.”

Quick Facts:

• The emergency department upgrades include new underground services and rerouting existing services, a new entrance road and new patient pick-up/drop-off area at the hospital.
• To minimize the risk of infection, additional hand-washing stations, utility rooms, a decontamination area and an isolation room will be added.

Learn More:

For more on the Langley Memorial Hospital, visit: https://www.fraserhealth.ca/Service-Directory/Locations/Langley/langley-memorial-hospital#.XEn7Z1xKg2w

For more on the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation, visit: https://lmhfoundation.com/