Province to fund new emergency room in Yarmouth

The province says it's funding the construction of a new, larger emergency room at Yarmouth Regional Hospital.

Zach Churchill, the Liberal MLA for Yarmouth, said in a Facebook post that he made the announcement on Friday along with Premier Stephen McNeil.

Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood said she was thrilled to hear about the expansion and that the cramped space is in need of an update.

"As much as we talk about needing doctors — and that isn't going to go away — but those nurses, doctors and other professionals that work there now, they need that space to do the very best job," Mood said. 

"And I would suggest as well that a new, larger emergency room department may just draw some doctors to the area."

It would be one of the last regional hospitals in Nova Scotia to get a new emergency department.

Peggy Green, director of health services in the health authority's western zone, said it's been about 20 years since there have been any upgrades in Yarmouth's emergency room.

"Staff and physicians have indicated for quite a few years the need to expand and upgrade our emergency department," Green said.

"Space is at a premium — our waiting area, our working space and our storage space for supplies are all being pushed to the limits."

Green said the plan is in very early stages and there's been no talk yet about design.

It is unclear how much money the province will put into the upgrades and when the work is expected to start.

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