Interior Health
KAMLOOPS – Youth in crisis will have access to enhanced patient care with the opening of the newly renovated pediatric psychiatry area at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH).
“Our youth are among our most vulnerable patients, and it’s important that they are cared for in an environment that is comfortable, welcoming and, most importantly, safe,” says Health Minister Terry Lake.
The RIH pediatric psychiatry unit is located within the larger pediatrics unit at RIH. The goal of the renovation project was to update the environment to provide a calm and safe haven for pediatric psychiatry patients, and one that allowed for better privacy and confidentiality.
The renovation included the integration of two existing psychiatric inpatient rooms, a consultation area and the staff room. The space now houses two inpatient rooms, a private consultation/observation room and a comfortable youth lounge area. There is also a new counselling area, a dedicated washroom, a nurses’ station, and a nearby shower room to serve all patients on the pediatrics unit.
The existing outdoor recreational area on a patio off the pediatrics unit was also renovated to create a more welcoming space for all children, youth and their families on the unit.
“This renovation was designed to better meet the needs of both general pediatric and child psychiatry patients at Royal Inland,” says Interior Health board chair Norman Embree.
The cost for the renovation was approximately $850,000, and was shared between the Province through Interior Health and the Thompson Regional Hospital District (TRHD). The pediatric psychiatry unit will serve patients and families from throughout the Thompson, Nicola and Cariboo regions.
The RIH Foundation also secured a $20,000 grant from the RBC Foundation, which went toward helping furnish the new space.
Interior Health is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and providing a wide range of quality health-care services to more than 742,000 people living across B.C.’s interior. For more information, visit www.interiorhealth.ca.