The only hospital in the North Okanagan will soon have a state-of-the-art psychiatric unit.
During a series of wide-ranging announcements on Friday about health care in the region, the province said Vernon Jubilee Hospital will soon have expanded mental-health and substance-use services.
“People have been dealing with a lot over the past few years, and there’s an increased demand for psychiatric services as a result,” said Jennifer Whiteside, mental health and addictions minister.
“This project means we can make the most of existing facilities and get people connected to the care they need sooner, so they can focus on their wellness now and in the longer term.”
According to the province, the new unit will provide 44 single-occupancy patient rooms, replacing 30 beds at two existing in-patient psychiatric units within the hospital.
The unit will also have a new, four-bed pediatric psychiatric stabilization unit.
“Increasing access to psychiatric care is critical to the health and well-being of people experiencing mental-health and substance-use issues and supporting their path to mental wellness,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said.
“That’s why this project is so important. By continuing to invest in the expansion of mental-health services, we are taking action to help more people get the care they need faster and closer to home in communities like Vernon.”
The province says the new unit will be on land adjacent to the hospital and will be connected via an underground tunnel. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with a 2029 completion date.
“During my work at the Vernon Jubilee Hospital, as a registered nurse, and in talking to my health-care colleagues, I have seen first-hand the need for expanded mental health and substance-use services in our communities,” Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu said.
“The new in-patient psychiatric unit at Vernon Jubilee Hospital will address this need, encourage recruitment of health-care workers, and help so many people in our community get high-quality, patient-centred care.”