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On December 14, 2006, Minister Abbott announced the Province has surpassed 2,500 net-new residential care beds, assisted living units and supportive housing units. "The government made a commitment to our province's seniors and we are making great progress," said Abbott.
Pictured left to right: Marc Pelletier, Fraser Health Vice-President; George Abbott, Minister of Health; Ted Sandvold, Belvedere resident; Harry Bloy, Burquitlam MLA; Bert Evertt, Belvedere Seniors Living CEO; Maxine Wilson, Coquitlam Mayor. [News Release]
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Minister Abbott visits with Ted Sandvold, a resident at the Belvedere in Coquitlam. The Residences at Belvedere is part of a campus of care which allows seniors to remain in the same facility as their care needs change. [News Release]
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On November 10, 2006, Minister Abbott officially opened two new radiation therapy vaults at the BC Cancer Agency. “This means that medical specialists will be able to accommodate an additional 850 patients per year and this increase helps alleviate the high level of demand for cancer treatment and therapies,"" said Abbott.
Pictured left to right: Carrie-Lynne Swift, Medical Physicist, BC Cancer Agency; Fiona Mitchell, Regional Professional Practice Leader, BC Cancer Agency; Simon Sutcliffe, President, BC Cancer Agency; Amy Mason, Media Relations Officer, Public Affairs Bureau; George Abbott, Minister of Health. [News Release]
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November 7, 2006, The golden shovels mark the spot where a state-of-the-art, $45-million research facility that will take spinal cord research beyond what is currently possible anywhere in the world is officially under construction at Vancouver General Hospital. ICORD, which stands for International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, will share the Blusson Pavilion, with the VGH Spine Centre and the Rick Hansen Foundation. From left: Vancouver-Burrard MLA Lorne Mayencourt; Health Minister George Abbott; Premier Gordon Campbell; Marilyn Blusson; Rick Hansen, president and CEO, Rick Hansen Foundation; Dr. John Steeves, ICORD director; Dr. Stewart Blusson and Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell.
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On November 7, 2006, Minister Abbott joined Premier Gordon Campbell in officially celebrating the completion of a $27.5-million renovation project at Royal Inland Hospital. The renovations will help provide Thompson Cariboo Shuswap patients with better, more timely care.
Pictured left to right: Kamloops MLA Claude Richmond, Premier Gordon Campbell, Health Minister George Abbott and Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger. [News Release]
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On November 6, 2006, Minister Abbott received his flu shot at Vancouver Coastal Health's first immunization clinic. "This year, the provincial government is providing over 1.23 million doses of influenza vaccine to help protect young children, seniors and other at-risk British Columbians - an increase of 70,000 doses over last year," said George Abbott. [News Release] [Watch the video]
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On October 18, Minister Abbott attended the opening of The Wellesley, a 40-unit assisted living development in Victoria. “With the opening of these 40 units, we have built more than 2,200 net-new residential care beds, assisted living units and supportive housing units with home support since June 2001," said Minister Abbott. From left: Howard Waldner, President and CEO of Vancouver Island Health Authority; Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe; Azim Jamal, CEO, Retirement Concepts; Toss Pajak, Wellesley resident; Minister of Health George Abbott; Judith Ritson, Manager of The Wellesley; Mrs. Jamal; and Abdul Jamal [News Release]
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Minister Abbott and Mrs. Toss Pajak met and spoke together in her new Wellesley apartment. All the assisted living units in the three-storey complex are wheelchair accessible. [News Release]
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On October 16, 2006, Minister Abbott officially opened the new satellite day surgery unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital. "Across the province, thousands of surgeries that would previously have required overnight stays are now performed as day surgeries. This is an example of advances in medical technology which is creating additional capacity and innovations in the way care is delivered," said Minister Abbott. [News Release] [Watch the video]
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Dr. James Bond and Dr. Peter Doris look on as Minister George Abbott tests the new surgical equipment at the official opening of the satellite day surgery unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
[News Release] [Watch the video]
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On October 4th, 2006, Minister Abbott toured the BC Cancer Vancouver Island Centre, where he viewed the Tumour Tissue Repository. Pictured left to right: Dr. Wayne Beckham, Leader, Medical Physics, BC Cancer Agency; Rebecca Barnes, Senior Research Assistant, Tumour Tissue Repository, BC Cancer Agency; Lynda Cranston, President and CEO, Provincial Health Services Authority; George Abbott, Minister of Health; Dr. Peter Watson, Director, Tumour Tissue Repository, BC Cancer Agency; Dr. Ivo Olivotto, Chief Physician & Leader, Radiation Oncology, BC Cancer Agency.
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On October 1, 2006, Minister Abbott celebrated Open Doors 2006, a day of open houses hosted by participating seniors' residences across the province. ""Open Doors is an excellent opportunity to showcase the care options available to B.C. seniors today,"" said Abbott. Pictured left to right: Karen Baillie, Acting Executive Director, Haro Park Centre; Shayne Ramsay, CEO, BC Housing; Ken McClelland, President, Summerhill Residence; George Abbott, Minister of Health; Mary Holdcroft, Resident, Haro Park Centre; Carol Omstead, President, BC Retirement Communities Association; Ed Helfrich, CEO, BC Care Providers Association; Mary McDougall, President, BC Care Providers Association; Alice Sundberg, Executive Director, BC Non-Profit Housing Association. [News Release]
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On Sunday, October 1, 2006, Premier Gordon Campbell, Burnaby North MLA Richard T.Lee and Health Minister George Abbott joined thousands of British Columbians at the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure in Vancouver.
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On September 29, 2006, Premier Gordon Campbell officially opened the doors of a $32-million renovation project at the East Kootenay Regional Hospital which will provide patients with a new emergency department, ambulatory care centre and front entrance.
Pictured left to right: Scott Manjak, chair of the Kootenay East Regional Hospital District; Patty Gray, RN; Health Minister George Abbott; Pat Strang, retired RN who helped cut the ribbon for the 1968 hospital opening; Premier Gordon Campbell; East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett; Nigel Kitto, RN. [News Release]
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On September 23, Health Minister George Abbott took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally open the new state-of-the-art emergency room at the Delta Hospital. Pictured left to right are Sean Hodgins, President Century Group Lands Corporation; Elaine Canning, President Delta Hospital Auxiliary Society; Lois Jackson, Her Worship Mayor of Delta; George Abbott, Minster of Health; Keith Anderson, Fraser Health President & CEO; Dr Rod Tukker, Delta Hospital Chief Hospitalist; John Savage, Past President Delta Agricultural Group; and Bruce Warren, Chair Delta Hospital Foundation.
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Health Minister George Abbott toured the emergency department at Lions Gate Hospital in Vancouver on Friday, September 22, where he viewed the patient tracking board and discussed the emergency department expansion. Pictured left to right: West Vancouver-Capilano MLA Ralph Sultan, VCH CEO Ida Goodreau, Minister Abbott and North Vancouver-Lonsdale MLA Katherine Whittred.
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On September 21, 2006, British Columbia joined other provincial and territorial governments in Toronto to release the National Pharmaceuticals Strategy Progress Report to the public. The report provides recommendations to implement a multi-year strategy to improve access to drug therapies, help ensure the affordability of prescription drugs and work towards sustainability of the public health care system. Pictured left to right: Health Ministers Chris d'Entremont (Nova Scotia), George Abbott (BC), Chester Gillan (PEI) and Tom Osborne (Newfoundland and Labrador). [News Release]
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On September 11, 2006, Health Minister George Abbott and local MLAs toured Burnaby Hospital's Emergency Department. They also saw the hospital's new palliative care unit, operating room, neo-natal unit and medical/surgical area to see how the facility managed during the Norwalk Virus outbreak earlier this year. Pictured left to right: Harry Bloy, MLA; Arden Krystal, Executive Director, Acute Care; Dr.Tom Campagna, Medical Director; Paula Bond, ADM and Chief Nurse Executive, George Abbott, Health Minister and Richard Lee, MLA.
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On September 11, 2006, Minister George Abbott joined bcbedline staff to celebrate its fifth anniversary. The bcbedline program allows the timely transfer of acute and critically ill patients to the appropriate level of care. The service is funded by the Ministry of Health and is currently administered by Vancouver Coastal Health. From left to right: George Abbott, Minister of Health and Linda Lemke, bcbedline Program Director. [News Release]
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On July 26, 2006, Minister Abbott spoke at the unveiling of a $2.5 million installation of two state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines and a $1 million upgrade to the MRI Suite at Victoria General Hospital. "The B.C. government is committed to improving patents' access to diagnostics and treatment by investing in the very latest medical technology," said George Abbott. An MRI exam can often take the place of invasive procedures, giving a more accurate diagnosis more quickly.
[News Release]
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On July 18, 2006, Health Minister George Abbott took part in the announcement of 185 new residential care beds and 25 assisted living units for seniors in Victoria. Abbott announced that the contract to build and operate the facility, to be located near the Selkirk waterfront, has been awarded to Ahmon Group.
Pictured from left to right: Alan Lowe, Mayor, City of Victoria, Michael Ahmon, CEO and President, Ahmon Group; Mike Controy, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Vancouver Island Health Authority; and George Abbott, Minister of Health. [News Release]
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On July 13, 2006, Minister George Abbott and Minister Ida Chong opened the expanded Single Room Maternity Care Unit at B.C. Women's Hospital and Health Centre. ""This allows women to go through labour, delivery and post-birth care all in the same room, making the experience more comfortable and allowing families to spend more time together,"" said Abbott. Shown left to right: George Abbott, Minister of Health; Ida Chong, Minister of Community Services and Minister responsible for Seniors' and Women's Issues; Teresa and baby Brenna Ward, and Mitch Ward. [News Release]
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On June 22, 2006, Premier Gordon Campbell and Minister of Health George Abbott unveiled the sign announcing the Province's plans to develop a new 148,000-square foot Surrey Outpatient Hospital. The new outpatient hospital "will provide more space and better facilities for day surgeries, health clinics and family medicine while freeing up space for an expanded emergency room and more acute care beds at Surrey Memorial," stated Campbell. Pictured from left to right: Premier Campbell and Minister Abbott. [News Release]
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On June 20, 2006, British Columbia's Minister of Health George Abbott and Washington State Secretary of Health Mary C. Seleky signed an historic Memorandum of Understanding. This memorandum will allow for the province and state to undertake joint planning and sharing of resources to address public health emergencies, such as West Nile virus and pandemic influenza. [Memorandum of Understanding]
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On May 31, 2006, Minister Abbott announced a $550,000 investment in tobacco-free sports. The five-year partnership with PacificSport will promote tobacco-free sports events in British Columbia. This partnership will help government meet the ActNow BC goal of reducing tobacco use in B.C. by 10 per cent for the 2010 Winter Games. Pictured left to right: Roger Skillings, PacificSport CEO and Minister of Health George Abbott.
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On May 26, 2006, Minister Abbott joined Chef Rob Feenie on the Celebrity Cooking Stage at EAT!Vancouver. The three-day event at BC Place Stadium, sponsored by Food Network Canada, featured exhibits, competitions and cooking demonstrations. One of the presenting sponsors was ActNow BC, a government initiative promoting healthy eating and lifestyle choices. Pictured from left to right: Chef Rob Feenie, Minister of Health George Abbott and Jamie Maw, Food Editor of Vancouver Magazine.
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On May 26, 2006, Minister Abbott and MLA Gordon Hogg toured the Peace Arch Hospital and met with the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation (PAHF). Pictured left to right: Jackie Smith, Executive Director, PAHF; Gordon Hogg, MLA Surrey-White Rock; Sandy Wightman, Vice-Chair, PAHF Board of Directors; Minister of Health George Abbott and Kim Karras, Chair, PAHF Board of Directors.
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On May 11, 2006, Minister Abbott announced the launch of a comprehensive website which provides information and resources to help prepare for a potential influenza pandemic. The website was developed by the Ministry of Health and the BC Centre for Disease Control. While British Columbia continues to improve and implement its preparedness plan, individuals can help prevent or reduce the spread of a pandemic. [News Release]
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On May 10, 2006, Minister Abbott celebrated National Nursing Week. The celebration included the announcement of a $26 million investment in the BC Nursing Strategy. This brings the total investment since 2001 to $146 million. The event featured excerpts from Florence: The Lady and the Lamp, an opera being performed in Vancouver based on the pioneer of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale. From left to right: Jenny Boothman, post basic UVIC RN student nurse; Marilynned Convey, VIHA Professional Practice Office; Paula Bond, ADM and Chief Nurse Executive; Penny Ballem, Deputy Minister; Andrew Stewart, opera singer; Dionne Sellinger, opera singer; David Boothroyd, pianist; and Minister George Abbott. [News Release]
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On May 8, 2006, Minister Abbott kicked off Hypertension Awareness Week with a simple, two-minute, blood pressure test. ""Knowing what your blood pressure is, healthy eating and moderate exercise are important and simple steps we can all take to help reduce our health risks,"" said Abbott. [News Release]
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On May 5, 2006, Minister Abbott officially opened a new cardiac catheterization lab at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). The state-of-the-art technology produces clearer images of the heart and coronary vessels, increasing accuracy of the diagnosis. The new system also reduces radiation to the patient and staff by 50 per cent. The KGH Cardiac Cath Lab is the only one of its kind in Interior Health, serving patients from across the region as well as Northern BC. From left to right: Minister George Abbott, MLA Al Horning, MLA Sindi Hawkins, MLA Rick Thorpe, Interior Health Chair Alan Dolman and Dr. Richard Hooper, Head of Kelowna General Hospital Cardiac Cath Lab.
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On April 20, 2006, Minister Abbott announced the province's continuing investment in health research funding. This year the province has provided $70 million to the Michael Smilth Foundation in addition to the $30 million it provided last year. This funding will help maintain B.C.'s position as a world leader in disease and illness prevention.
[News Release] [Health Research Funding] [New Research Trainees]
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Minister Abbott speaks with some of the 170 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who received funding through the Michael Smith Foundation. The Research Trainee program is one of several funding programs designed to attract, retain and train the best and brightest health researchers and promote research excellence in B.C.
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On April 20th, 2006, Minister George Abbott visited Canuck Place Children's Hospice. Pictured left to right: Filomena Nalewajek, Executive Director, Canuck Place; Minister Abbott and Rob Appleton, Managing Director of Development, Canuck Place.
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On April 18, 2006, Minister Abbott participated in a demonstration of the technology that connects thoracic surgeons at a specialist centre in Kelowna to patients located in Interior and Northern communities across B.C. The video-conferencing technology from TELUS allows the thoracic surgeons to assess patients without the inconvenience and expense of travel by patients and doctors. Minister Abbott is pictured with thoracic surgeon Dr. Michael Humer. [News Release] [Connecting B.C. Communities] [Telehealth in British Columbia] [Telethoracic Webcast]
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On April 6, 2006, Minister Abbott and Wendy Lodge, the first nurse hired at BC NurseLine, slice the cake celebrating BC NurseLine's fifth anniversary. This 24/7 service provides access to trained nurses who answer questions, identify symptoms and help callers decide when to see a health professional. Over the last five years the BC NurseLine has received more than one million calls. [News Release]
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On April 5, 2006, Minister Abbott attended the announcement of a $1 million (CAD) private donation to the BC Cancer Foundation. The U.S.-based Canary Foundation donated the funds to be used in a new collaborative research project to advance early detection of ovarian cancer. The aim of the project is to develop a simple blood test to screen women for ovarian cancer. Pictured left to right: Michael Ball, CEO, GenoLogics; Minister Abbott and Don Listwin, Founder and Chairman, Canary Foundation.
[News Release] [Backgrounder] [ActNow BC]
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Minister Abbott hands out ActNow BC t-shirts to members of the 4H Club of Vancouver Island to celebrate Agricultural Day on April 3rd. The ActNow BC program is a health and wellness initiative that promotes healthy living choices.
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On March 23, 2006, Minister Abbott announced that the Province is investing $30 million in health promotion through partnerships with the BC Healthy Living Alliance and 2010 Legacies Now. In this photo, Minister Abbott assists renowned chef John Bishop of Bishops Restaurant in creating a delicious and healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken and Vegetable Casserole. [News Release] [Backgrounder] [ActNow BC]
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On March 17, 2006 Minister Abbott visited Mountainview Village. Mountainview Village is an 89 suite Assisted Living facility open since September 2002 and operated by Good Samaritan Canada. Phase 2 of the complex - 52 additional Assisted Living units - will open April 18, 2006.
Pictured are (L-R): Doug Stickney, Director of Project Development for Good Samaritan Canada; MLA Sindi Hawkins, Health Minister George Abbott, MLA Al Horning, IH Board Chair Alan Dolman and Jon Clare, Housing and Assisted Living Coordinator at Mountainview Village.
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On March 16, 2006, Minister Abbott announced that the government is increasing annual funding for crystal meth treatment options and youth addictions services by $8 million. Health authorities will use the money for youth addictions services to increase capacity and develop new treatment services for youth. The crystal meth funding will be used to develop targeted treatment programs, including individual and group counselling, and recovery support, for methamphetamine users and their families. Pictured are (L-R): Heather Hay, Regional Director of Addiction Services, Vancouver Costal Health, Deputy Chief Constable Bob Rich, Vancouver Police Department; Minister Abbott, Vancouver-Burrard MLA Lorne Mayencourt. [News Release] [Meth Facts]
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On March 9, 2006, Minister Abbott celebrated Vancouver General Hospital's 100th Anniversary. In this photo, Minister Abbott and Kathy Murphy, President VGH School of Nursing Alumnae Association unveil the commemorative plaque that will be placed on the newly renovated Heather Heritage Pavilion on the VGH site.
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On March 9, 2006 Minister Abbott celebrated BC Pharmacists Awareness Week. The Government of B.C. has partnered with the BC Pharmacists Association to distribute the new BC HealthGuide handbook. More than 500,000 handbooks have been distributed this year. Pictured are (L-R): Marnie Mitchell, CEO, BC Pharmacy Association; Minister Abbott and Derek Desrosiers, Board Chair, BC Pharmacy Association. [News Release]
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On February 23, 2006, Minister Abbott attended an event celebrating the installation of two new 64-slice CT scanners at hospitals in Victoria. "The BC government is committed to improving patients' access to diagnostics and treatment by investing in the very latest medical technology to ensure British Columbians receive high-quality care close to where they live," said Minister Abbott. Pictured here are (L-R): Dr. John Mathieson, Chief of Medical Imaging, VIHA; Minister Abbott and VIHA CEO Howard Waldner.
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On February 17th, Health Minister George Abbott announced that BC Children's Hospital is implementing a number of innovative measures and a partnership with Richmond Hospital that will add a further 1,000 elective surgeries for children a year. Joining him are Lisa De Paoli, Director of Acute Care, Richmond Hospital, Wynne Powell, PHSA Board Chair and Dr. Geoffrey Blair, Chief of Surgery, BC Childen's Hospital. [News Release] [BC Children's Hospital]
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February 1, 2006 - Premier Gordon Campbell and Minister of Health George Abbott announced a $60.5 million wait time management strategy to reduce backlogs and improve the health care system. ""This is a multipronged approach,"" noted Premier Gordon Campbell. ""This is an approach that asks questions as well as delivers better service to patients regardless of where they live in the province. It's an important and critical step."" The announcement includes a new Centre for Surgical Innovation at UBC Hospital, funding for existing backlogs, a Provincial Surgical Patient Registry and a Research Centre for Hip Health at Vancouver General Hospital. [News Release] [Media Site]
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