Your input to be part of plans for new Portage hospital

An announcement was recently made that included good news about the new hospital to be completed sometime around October 2025 in Portage la Prairie, and it involves you.  Southern Health-Santé Sud CEO Jane Curtis outlines the basic information. 

"Residents of Southern Health-Santé Sud come from diverse backgrounds, speak different languages, and have unique health needs," explains Curtis. "We are pleased to be launching this as the first of a number of opportunities to hear from local populations about how to deliver services in a way that is more accessible to, and inclusive of, the needs of the population who live in Southern Manitoba and the providers who deliver care in Portage la Prairie."

Curtis says the input will be focused on what's meaningful to people when they come to access care at the hospital, what they like, and how they feel about the services there. 

"We want to make sure that it's accessible, it's culturally safe, and that people feel that that it meets the needs of their particular health and family," continues Curtis. 

She notes this is an indication of an increase in the opportunity for the public to provide input for what they'd like to see.

"I think more and more, we want to know what matters to people that come to access care from the hospital," adds Curtis. "And I think through many different means, we're really trying to understand better about what is meaningful to patients so that they get the best care that they can at any kind of service or program they're accessing."

Curtis explains you can fill out an online survey.

"It's being shared with the public in a variety of ways, but if they're looking for the survey and they can't find it, they're welcome to contact Southern Health-Santé Sud, and we'll make sure we get a link to it," adds Curtis.

She says they're also looking for additional health care workers and providers.

"I would encourage people out there that may be interested in a career in healthcare, to get in contact with us and we can help guide them, too, depending on what their particular interest is," notes Curtis.  

Curtis says more information will be shared as they move along in planning, but stresses they want to begin with what's meaningful to the community.

"It's a new two-story site, and it will actually double the size of the existing facility and include services such as more acute care inpatient, increase day surgery capacity, so more patients can have procedures performed without needing to travel to Winnipeg, Brandon or elsewhere," notes Curtis. "We're working at the planning and design stage right now, and I think they're shooting to about October 2025."