A new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity is set to open in early 2028 to support children and youth with complex health conditions who require a significant amount of care. The centre will be located at Slocan Street and 21st Avenue in Vancouver, the former site of the Sunny Hill Health Centre.
Elizabeth Stanford is the Director, Clinical Lead, Redevelopment Projects for BC Children’s and BC Women’s hospitals, with the new centre for health complexity as her main focus. Elizabeth is leading the work to create an innovative clinical program for the new centre, which will fill a critical gap in existing care for children with health complexity and their families.
Read on to learn more about Elizabeth, her role, the new services that are being developed, and her hopes for the future.
I’m a clinical psychologist by training. Prior to this role, I was the Head of Psychology for BC Children’s and BC Women’s hospitals, supporting the work of over 40 psychologists. My own previous clinical work focused on children with developmental conditions and children with complex medical needs. I love working with staff across disciplines to support children and families.
Children with health complexity and their families face incredible day-to-day challenges with courage and resolve. I jumped at the chance to help build a clinical program that would offer new, meaningful services to help children and families. These services include care coordination, training and education, and family wellness supports. Trauma-informed and culturally safe care are the foundations of the clinical service plan. It’s rare to have the chance to help develop new programs and services, and design new spaces for care. This team is committed to deep engagement and co-design with partners and that was also inspiring to me.
Children with health complexity are an important, diverse group of children. These children have very complex and chronic medical conditions that require intense medical support. Many are on multiple medications, rely on medical equipment such as feeding tubes or ventilators, and use mobility devices. Caregivers and care team members require specialized training to provide care. Many children also have developmental and sensory differences.
The new centre will be purpose-built to be a comfortable, supportive and welcoming space for children with health complexity and their families. All the services at the new centre are intended to fill some of the existing gaps in care for children with health complexity. Care will be provided virtually and in person to support access and equity in care for children who live all over B.C. and the Yukon. In-person care will be available in an outpatient space. The centre will also include 16 family suites where, if needed, families can stay with their child for short, planned stays that focus on supporting transitions (e.g. going from hospital to home). All our clinical planning work to date has been done in collaboration with a very dedicated and engaged group of clinicians, leaders, and patient and family advisors. We are so grateful to them!
A key goal of the new centre is to enhance the quality of life for children with health complexity in their home communities. We can do this by supporting families and caregivers with their day-to-day work and care. We also aim to increase the confidence and capacity of care teams all over BC and Yukon to care for children with health complexity and their families. I’m hopeful that we can get there if we all work together!
I love spending time with my family and two dogs! I’m also a big reader and like to be outside in nature whenever I can – on walks or in the garden. I recently did the Sun Run with my friends and hope to run more this year. I would also like to be a better cook…time will tell!
Learn more about the new BC Children's Hospital centre for health complexity.
