As part of a short series on the future of Surrey Memorial, we kick things off with an examination of Fraser Health’s long term vision for the venerable Hospital.
The regional healthy authority is currently developing a long term master plan under which SMH will transform into a “world-class health campus and model medical community that serves the entire Fraser Health district.”
The primary focus of the plan is the new Emergency Critical Care Tower, which is under bid by three finalists at this point. The new building will provide an emergency ward that is five times as large as the current facility.
Fraser Health also has plans to renovate significant portions of the Hospital, however this is contingent on Provincial funding and unlikely to occur before 2020.
The final piece of news, and perhaps the most exciting, are plans to engage with UBC to bring an expanded Clinical Academic Campus to Surrey. According to Fraser Health’s website:
Additional academic space will be created, to support the growing partnership between Fraser Health (FH) and the University of British Columbia medical school. When complete, SMH will become part of FH’s clinical academic campus, working in conjunction with Royal Columbian Hospital, improving the province’s capacity to train new doctors.
This follows on rumours of attempts to build a new medical school for the Fraser Valley. In early 2009, reports leaked that Fraser Health was actively courting SFU or UBC to partner with on such a training facility. Perhaps FHA has found its educational partner.
