Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford (SHNB) is a public psychiatric hospital in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. It is owned by the Government of Saskatchewan and operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority. The facility has 284 beds in total, including a 96-bed secure unit for offenders with mental health needs.[1] The new facility includes a number of modernizations to improve patient care, including:

  • 32 more beds (an increase from 156 to 188),
  • A "home-like" rather than institutional atmosphere,
  • Scenic placement on the North Saskatchewan River with maximized views of nature from inside, and
  • A cogeneration system to reduce its environmental footprint.[2]
Saskatchewan Hospital
Map
Geography
LocationBox 39, North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada
Organization
Care systemPublic
FundingGovernment of Saskatchewan
TypeMental health
NetworkPrairie North Health Region and Saskatchewan Health Authority
Services
Beds284
History
Opened2019
Links
Websitehttps://www.pnrha.ca/programs_services/Pages/Saskatchewan-Hospital---North-Battleford.aspx
ListsHospitals in Canada

The project was announced in 2011[3][4] and began construction in September 2015.[5] It held its grand opening March 14, 2019.[6]

The Government of Saskatchewan committed $407 million to the project, which covers design, construction, and 30 years of maintenance.[7] Of this, approximately $222 million is attributable to construction.[8] The project is proceeding as a public-private partnership (P3). Financial analysis by Ernst & Young indicated a P3 would save $90 million (18%) over the life of the project, versus a typical government-led project.[9] Design, construction, and maintenance are the responsibility of a group named Access Prairies Partnership, led by Graham.[10] The construction effort created more than 1,500 jobs in the province.[11]

Original hospital

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New SHNB under construction, July 2016

Built between 1911 and 1913, the facility in North Battleford was the first mental health hospital to be built in Saskatchewan, Canada.[12] It had 156 beds.[13] Prior to its establishment, patients were sent to hospitals in Manitoba. The first superintendent of the hospital was James Walter MacNeill. The number of patients peaked at over 4,000 in 1946; with the advent of community care throughout the province the number of patients in the facility had dropped to under 300 by 1980.[14]

The original hospital was located at 1 Jersey Street in the North Battleford Crown Colony, a census subdivision adjacent to the City of North Battleford.[15][16] The building was demolished in 2020, with the historic stone chapel, hand-built by a stonemason resident at the hospital; the Veterans’ Park; and three cemeteries preserved.[17] The province used a drone service to take photos of the entire complex and grounds to keep as a record for the future, reflecting how the site once appeared. The Battlefords North West Historical Society had looked into the potential of having walking trails and interpretive signage that would document some of the history of the site. [1]

References

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  1. ^ "SHNB | Government of Saskatchewan". www.saskatchewan.ca. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  2. ^ "Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford Project • SaskBuilds". saskbuilds.ca. Retrieved 2017-03-28.
  3. ^ "PREMIER ANNOUNCES REPLACEMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN HOSPITAL NORTH BATTLEFORD". Press Release. Government of Saskatchewan. August 18, 2011. Retrieved 2012-04-07.
  4. ^ "New psychiatric hospital announced for North Battleford, Sask". Global Saskatoon News. Shaw Media. August 18, 2011. Retrieved 2012-04-07.
  5. ^ "Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford Project | New Health Care Facilities". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  6. ^ "Grand Opening of the New Saskatchewan Hospital". www.saskhealthauthority.ca. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  7. ^ "Ernst & Young Reports P3 Saves $90 Million on New Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2017-03-28.
  8. ^ "Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford Project | New Health Care Facilities | Government of Saskatchewan". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2017-03-28.
  9. ^ "SHNB Value for Money Report" (PDF). SaskBuilds.ca. Ernst & Young.
  10. ^ Graham
  11. ^ "Construction One Step Closer: Partner Team Chosen for the New Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2017-03-28.
  12. ^ Smith, Colin. "MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES". Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. University of Regina. Retrieved 2012-04-07.
  13. ^ "Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford Project | New Health Care Facilities". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  14. ^ Smith, Colin. "MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES". Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. University of Regina. Retrieved 2012-04-07.
  15. ^ "Guide to the Mental Health Services Act" (PDF). Government of Saskatchewan. 2015. p. 59. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 17, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  16. ^ "Census Profile - Map : North Battleford, Crown colony (Census Subdivision), Saskatchewan". Statistics Canada. November 22, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  17. ^ Brown, Angela. "Last call for old Saskatchewan Hospital". battlefordsNOW | North Battleford, Saskatchewan | News, Sports, Weather, Obituaries, Classifieds. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
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