| LHSC

June 6, 2005

Contact:
James Bullbrook
City-wide Restructuring
519-685-8500, ext. 75532

Countdown Begins to Final Phase of Emergency Department Changes

London, Ontario - Sunday June 5 marked the launch of the media campaign to publicize upcoming changes to emergency services in London. Coundown messages will be heard on local radio and advertised in print for the next seven days. The goal of this campaign is to create awareness of upcoming changes to emergency services.

On Sunday, June 12, 2005, South Street Emergency Department closes and relocates to Victoria Hospital (location of current Children's ER)

As of June 12, 2005, London has two Emergency Departments.

LHSC University Hospital
339 Windermere Road (at Perth Drive)
London, Ontario N6A 5A5

LHSC new Victoria Hospital
Adult and Children's Emergency
800 Commissioners Road East (at Wellington Road)
London, Ontario N6A 4G5

For more information, the public can call 1-866-313-5528 or visit www.emergencylondon.ca.

As always, if you have a medical emergency call 911 or go to your nearest Emergency Department.

Background
Since 1997, when the Health Services Restructuring Commission delivered its report for London, 24 transfers have occurred between St. Joseph's and London Health Sciences Centre; 3 services have consolidated. The first program to transfer was Acute Mental Health to LHSC in 1998. In 2002, adult rehabilitation beds consolidated at Parkwood Hospital

2005: Achievement of Milestone I
Milestone I is the largest transfer of hospital programs and services in London to date. Milestone I commenced March 2004 with the transfer of 25 medicine beds from St. Joseph's Hospital to LHSC University Campus. The 2005 transfers include:

Emergency Medicine
Critical Care Orthopaedic (partial)
Gen Surgery (partial) Perioperative Care (partial)
Family Medicine Cardiac Surgery & Cardiology

2005 transfers began February 15 with the consolidation of Emergency Services at LHSC. At that time, St. Joseph's Hospital opened the Urgent Care Centre in the location of the former Emergency Room. It is open from 8 am to 10 pm daily to treat non life-threatening illnesses and injuries.

June 12 Moves

Sunday, June 12, 2005 constitutes the single largest move to date. Emergency services, Perioperative Care, Operating rooms, Critical care, Surgery, Cardiology and Medicine will move from South Street Hospital to the new Victoria Hospital at Commissioners Road and Wellington Road. About 150 patients will be transferred by ambulance and patient transport vehicle beginning at 7am. LHSC has contracted with Health Care Relocations (HCR), a Canadian company that specializes in hospital moves, to co-ordinate the move activities.

Sunday was chosen on the recommendation of HCR because of lower street traffic to minimize disruption to hospital activities such as clinics, which are closed on Sunday.

Other highlights:

Patient transported every three minutes from South Street to Victoria Hospital
300 truckloads of equipment moving.
Milestone I concludes on August 22 with the consolidation of the Medicine and Family Medicine programs at the new Victoria Hospital and University Hospital. At that time, over 2500 staff and physicians will work in a new location. By completion, 121 beds will have transferred from St. Joseph's Hospital to LHSC (including 88 in 2005), two beds will have transferred from LHSC to SJHC, and 215 beds will have transferred from South Street. At that time, major areas of St. Joseph's Hospital will begin Milestone II renovations.

South Street Hospital will remain a hub of activity post Milestone I, with programs such Acute Mental Health, Dialysis, Ambulatory Clinics, Nuclear Medicine, Sleep Lab, Research, offices and administration. It will remain in operation until Milestone II, expected in 2008.

Changes to Emergency Services on June 12

June 12, 2005, 7am: South Street Emergency Department closes and relocates to the new Victoria Hospital (location of current Children's ER).

As of June 12, 2005, London has two Emergency Departments.

LHSC University Hospital
339 Windermere Road (at Perth Drive)
London, Ontario N6A 5A5

LHSC new Victoria Hospital
Adult and Children's Emergency
800 Commissioners Road East (at Wellington Road)
London, Ontario N6A 4G5

A major radio, print, television and web communication campaign begins June 5 in the form of a seven day countdown. A mailing to every household in London Middlesex will also inform the public of the changes to emergency services. Included in the mailing is a sticker with the locations of the Emergency Departments:

The South Street Emergency Department opened in its present location in 1941 as part of the newly constructed North Wing. Ambulance service to the London General Hospital (renamed Victoria Hospital in 1899) for the injured and critically ill began in 1883.

Annual LHSC visits to March 2005 are as follows: