Press release from the City of Castlegar
West Kootenay, BC - Local government input is being solicited to help develop a strategic plan to assist the region in making decisions to guide acute health care investments in the coming years. The work to develop the plan and community consultation is being undertaken by Jim Gustafson, a Kootenay-based consultant.
It is known that in the coming years the Kootenay Boundary Health Region will undergo major studies to direct investments in acute care. Thinking strategically, sharing information and building capacity at the community level is the purpose of this initiative.
The importance of acute care to individual communities across the region is clear and making the right choices in the future is fundamental to the strategic plan as 40 per cent of capital costs with acute care are the responsibility of regional taxpayers.
All 30 jurisdictions of the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital board are being asked to contribute to the draft strategic plan. This is a region comprising all of the Kootenay Boundary Regional District and most of the Regional District of Central Kootenay less the Greater Creston area and a portion of lower Kootenay Lake. A draft has been written and municipal councils and electoral area advisory planning commissions have been invited to comment, make recommendations and discuss the scope of the plan with the consultant.
The strategic plan is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2014 and will be presented to the Board of Directors of the West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital Board for their consideration. The City of Castlegar is initiating the study.
Contact:
Jim Gustafson
250-365-5242