Province eyes expanding non-urgent surgery centre in London
The Nazem Kadri Surgical Centre will go from two operating rooms to six, the province says
The Ontario government is committing to renovating and expanding a surgical centre run by London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) with the aim of getting more patients through the door for non-urgent procedures, officials announced Thursday.
The upgrade, part of the province's plan to cut surgery wait times, will triple the operating capacity of the Nazem Kadri Surgical Centre at 746 Base Line Rd., across the street from Victoria Hospital.
The expansion is expected to add four operating rooms to the facility, bringing the total number to six.
"This investment by the Ford government will help create more capacity in not just the Surgical Centre, but in all of LHSC's operating rooms, helping Ontarians receive their surgery sooner and in the best environment for the surgery they need," said David Musyj, LHSC's supervisor, who joined Health Minister and Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones for the announcement.
The centre has provided care for approximately 8,400 people since it opened in 2020, according to officials. It's a place where patients can go for routine, non-urgent surgeries like knee replacements and hernia repair.
The investment is part of nearly $50 billion the Ontario government is expected to spend across the province over the next 10 years, provincial officials say.
The expansion is not expected any time soon, and the cost has not yet been determined.
The Ministry of Health says the next step is planning and design for the project, then it will be tendered and awarded before a construction schedule and price tag is confirmed.
It's not yet clear how long that process will take.