CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The Unit 9 psychiatric unit has reopened at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
An emailed statement from a representative of Health P.E.I. confirmed the unit has reopened as of Monday.
Unit 9 was closed early on in the pandemic in order to provide for excess capacity in hospital in the event of a surge in COVID-19 cases. Some patients were moved to the Hillsborough Hospital but some elderly patients suffering from dementia were later moved into the secured unit.
Over the last several weeks, approximately 14 elderly patients have remained in the unit. As of Monday, six of these patients have been transferred to other long-term care homes. Health P.E.I. plans to transition the remaining eight patients to other spaces in the near future.
“In the meantime, we will be retaining eight beds on a separate portion of the unit for these alternate level of care patients with dementia who require a secure location,” read a statement from Health P.E.I. “Renovations have been made to the unit to completely physically separate these two populations. The two groups of patients will not mix.”
Mental health advocates have been calling for the unit to be reopened since the spring. Psychiatrists on P.E.I. have also expressed concern with the length of time Unit 9, considered a cornerstone of mental health services in P.E.I., has remained closed.
