Government has announced plans to build two polyclinics to replace the existing ones at Warrens, St Michael and Oistins, Christ Church.
This was recently announced by Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Davidson Ishmael, who spoke during the Psychiatric Hospital’s Inaugural Awards and Recognition Ceremony, held at Mahogany Ridge in St Thomas.
Ishmael told the management and staff attending the ceremony that employees must be given the necessary resources to excel, inclusive of purpose-built facilities, so they can effectively deliver services.
He explained that the buildings at the Eunice Gibson and the Randal Phillips Polyclinics had outgrown their usefulness, adding that the remaining polyclinics would be refurbished.
The Minister mentioned that the ongoing construction of the Geriatric Hospital at Waterford, St. Michael, which will accommodate 300 residents when Phase One is completed, was at an advanced stage.
Ishmael said that maintenance of these new buildings will be prioritised by Government with the setting up of a Board of Management for the infrastructural management of polyclinics and laboratories across the health care sector.
He further noted that the Board will oversee the renewed investment in health care facilities to improve the delivery of service to citizens. He also shared that there are planned upgrades to the Psychiatric Hospital, at Black Rock, St Michael, as part of the phased refurbishment plan.
“Central to the notion of investing in our workforce is the concept of work-life balance. We must ensure that if we are asking our staff to work hard and strive for excellence it must not come at the cost of their health or having an unequitable work-life balance,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley had promised a compact towards creating an environment locally, where nurses would feel more inclined to stay and ply their skills.
SOURCE: Barbados Government Information Service (GIS)
