Patient move from Peel Memorial Hospital to Brampton Civic Hospital completed smoothly and efficiently

Brampton, Ontario: October 28, 2007, 3:30 pm – William Osler Health Centre is very pleased to report that all patients have been safely and successfully transported from Peel Memorial Hospital to the new Brampton Civic Hospital which opened for patient care today.

"All 234 patients were safely moved from Peel Memorial Hospital to Brampton Civic Hospital. The transfer began at 7 am and was completed – ahead of schedule – by 1:45 pm. This required a great deal of planning and preparation on the part of hundreds of WOHC staff as well as external staff from the Health Care Relocations company, Voyageur patient transport service, regional paramedic teams, police services , and others. It's thanks to their planning, expertise and cooperation that everything went like clockwork, smoothly and efficiently ," said Robert A. Richards, President and CEO of William Osler Health Centre. "All patients are now safely in their new units at Brampton Civic. We look forward to providing full services at the hospital tomorrow."

Patients were moved at two-minute intervals with the assistance of 33 ambulance and patient transport vehicles. Adults, the elderly and frail, children, newborns and their mothers, all made the trip to Civic, each accompanied by a staff member to ensure their safety and well-being during the move. The move of our tiniest patients was made with the assistance of a transfer team from Sick Kids Hospital.

Anyone requiring emergency treatment or mothers in labour should go directly to Brampton Civic Hospital's Emergency Department or call 911if necessary.

On Monday October 29th, Brampton Civic Hospital will begin providing its full range of

service to the public. Regular visiting hours of 2 to 8 pm will resume at Brampton Civic Hospital on Monday, October 29.

William Osler Health Centre - Brampton Civic Hospital

2100 Bovaird Drive East

(3 kilometres east of Highway 410, at the northeast corner of Bramalea Road and Bovaird Drive East)

CONTACT CENTRE: (416 or 905) 494-2120

Health care services at Peel Memorial are discontinued and will be decommissioned in preparation for redevelopment slated for the 2009/10 timeframe.

For more information please visit www.williamoslerhc.on.ca

About William Osler Health Centre
William Osler Health Centre has approximately 730 beds and a health care team of over 4,000 staff, 700 physicians and 900 volunteers. As a regional referral centre, Osler provides programs and services to nearly one million area residents. Our faculties offer acute and ancillary health care in the growing and diverse communities of Etobicoke and Brampton, Ontario, Canada. William Osler Health Centre is growing with the opening of the newest facility – the 1.3 million square foot Brampton Civic Hospital on October 28, 2007. Major renovations to the Etobicoke General Hospital and redevelopment of the Peel Memorial Hospital are also planned. For more information or updates please visit www.williamoslerhc.on.ca.