Prince County Hospital helipad repairs taking too long, says P.E.I. Opposition

The delay in getting necessary repairs done to the helipad at the Prince County Hospital in Summerside is a sign of poor priorities by the MacLauchlan Liberals, says Opposition leader Jamie Fox.

Health PEI told CBC News the delay is caused by the exacting approval process by Transport Canada.

The hospital'shelipad hasbeen closed to nightflights since Transport Canada made the recommendation in April 2015. Aninspection showed the helipad needed upgrades to meet Transport Canada's new operating and safety standards.

• P.E.I. hospital's helipad closed to night flights for nearly a year

Since that time, thehospital has been transporting patients by ambulance to the airfield at Slemon Park, where they are picked up by Emergency Health Services LifeFlight from Nova Scotia.

Health PEI had to hire ato hire consultant to plan the upgrades to the helipad and thensubmit the plan to Transport Canada before doing any work. Thatplan was recently approved by the government agency and Health PEI has posted thetender for the $200,000 contract.

Work done by December

Included in the upgrades is work toenlarge and shiftthe centre of the heliport to accommodate larger helicopters,expand a ditch zone on the ground-level helipad andimproved lighting on adjacentbuildings for safety. This requires LED warning lightsto beadded to Summerset Manor and a nearby senior'sapartment building.

Hydro wires between Summerset Manor and the hospital will also be marked.

Health PEIsaid the work is now expected to be completed by December.

But Fox said taking 18 months to address the repairs was too long.

"I raised this safety issue with government back in January and was told it would be fixed by this spring," said Fox in a release.

"In the spring we were told it would be fixed by summer. Now we are hearing it may be done this fall. Placing penny pinching over patient safety is a sign of poor priorities from the MacLauchlan Liberals."

Health PEI had told CBC News in January that during night transfers there wasconstant communication between PCH, EHS LifeFlight and Island EMS so that patients are transported from PCH to the LifeFlight landing site by Island EMS, arriving as the helicopter is touching down.

"There is no delay or difference than if the LifeFlight was landing at PCH," saidAmanda Hamel, a senior communications officer withHealth PEI,adding it was the sameprotocol that has been in place for several years when bad weather makesit difficult or unsafe to land on the helipad.

Health PEI said no daytime emergency air transportation have been been affected to date, and the need for upgradesonlyaffected night transportation.

It said thereare about 25 emergency air transports from PCH per year, withabout half taking place at night.

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