Five and a half years ago, Bridgepoint moved from the old half-round building into a brand new purpose built hospital. Since then, the 10th floor unit has remained unoccupied.
Earlier this week, the Honourable Christine Elliott, Minister of Health & Long-Term Care was at our Bridgepoint campus to announce some new health care funding. This included the funds to permanently open the 10th floor at Bridgepoint!
“This is a great opportunity for Bridgepoint,” says Kate Wilkinson, Vice President, Quality and Clinical Programs. “Over the next few months we will work with our teams and with patients and their caregivers to co-design how we will use this new space on the 10th floor.”
The Bridgepoint team will draw on their previous successes in moving the hospital and responding to system needs – just last year they quickly added surge beds. “Their expertise will be invaluable,” notes Kate.
Outside of the announcement it also gave Minister Elliott the opportunity to visit the unit she was on when she was a patient, something she discussed in a Toronto Star article earlier this year. She was able to connect with her team and thank them for the care they provided her.
“She expressed how grateful she was for the hard work displayed by the 4 South Team,” says Melissa Turner-Joseph, Speech-Language Pathologist who worked closely with Minister Elliot as a patient. “Despite the unfortunate circumstance of ending up in a hospital setting, she was thankful that it was Bridgepoint and she expressed how she will be forever grateful to everyone who helped her to get back on her feet, regain her speech, and be able to return to her very important work that she values so much.”
Manuela Ocrainschi, Occupational Therapist, was also part of Minister Elliot’s care team. After receiving a hug and thanks from Minister Elliott, Manuela said, “I told her she was the one who had to do the hardest part and we just guided her.”
