Deer Lake’s new X-ray equipment should be ready by Christmas DEER LAKE KATHERINE HUDSON The Western Star

The Deer Lake clinic, H. W. House Health Centre, will be welcoming new X-ray equipment around Christmas. — Star photo by Katherine Hudson

Residents of Deer Lake who were worried their clinic’s X-ray services were going to be cut can breathe a sigh of relief now that Western Health has announced plans to have the new equipment installed and operational before Christmas.

Recent X-ray and lab cuts in Flower’s Cove had people wondering if the planned replacement of old equipment in Deer Lake would ever happen.

Devon Goulding, vice-president of finance and decision support at Western Health, said the $280,000 X-ray machine has been ordered and is ready to be shipped from Toronto.
“What we’re doing is getting a vendor to hold it until we’re actually ready to install it,” he said. “Before the  X-ray machine can go in, there actually has to be some electrical upgrades to the building.”

The old machine caused its share of problems according to one resident.

“My father-in-law had his arm broken and went (to the Deer Lake clinic) about a month ago,” Deer Lake resident Cindy Nichols said. “They did the X-rays here but when he got to Corner Brook they wanted to redo the X-rays in Corner Brook again because the X-rays from here were such low quality.

“It’s pointless to have what’s there if you have to go through it all again in Corner Brook. Take it out all together or upgrade it.”

Keith Allen is regional director of physical infrastructure support for Western Health.

He said the equipment is being held in Toronto with the vendor because he doesn’t it want it “lying around waiting to be installed” here.

“When we get the equipment it’ll be available to be installed and the room will be ready for it.”

The contract has been put forward for the electrical upgrade that needs to take place at the clinic as well as some minor structural work. He said the timeline is dependant on the contractor and the availability of the material and parts needed to perform the upgrade.

Although final confirmations are still pending, Allen said he expects to have “construction done, all the equipment out, new equipment in, X-ray technician training done and be operational before Christmas.”

Allen said he anticipates a two-week window where no X-ray will be available at the clinic.
“We’re not absolutely sure about the time length yet, Allen said. “By the time we have the old equipment out and the new equipment all operational, it should be about two weeks.”

Four X-ray machines are making their way to the western regional of the province.

Deer Lake is first on the list of receiving the Christmas gift, while X-ray machines will also be sent to the communities of Port-aux-Basques, Burgeo and Port Saunders.