Health Minister Vows Increased Oversight Of The Hospital Amid Hospital Management Concerns

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Hospital

Health Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph has raised significant concerns regarding the management structure of the Sir Lester Bird Medical Center, emphasizing the need for increased oversight and accountability.

Reflecting on the legislation enacted in 2009 to establish the hospital, Minister Joseph highlighted a crucial provision that delineated the role of the government and the board in directing hospital policies.

Citing Section 10 of the legislation, Minister Joseph underscored the division of responsibilities between the government and the board.

While the Minister retains the authority to provide general policy directions, the daily management of the hospital is entrusted to the board.

This setup, Minister Joseph explained, aimed to ensure a more independent and expert-led approach to hospital management.

However, Minister Joseph expressed concerns about the effectiveness of this management model, particularly in light of recent incidents highlighting operational challenges within the hospital.

He recounted an episode involving the malfunctioning of essential medical equipment and emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into recurrent breakdowns.

One glaring issue identified by Minister Joseph is the lack of operational and maintenance manuals for the hospital, despite its establishment over a decade ago.

This deficiency, he argued, has contributed to the ongoing maintenance challenges faced by the hospital. To address this, Minister Joseph announced the hiring of a new engineer and pledged to prioritize the development of comprehensive operational and maintenance guidelines.

Moreover, Minister Joseph vowed to take a more hands-on approach in overseeing the hospital’s operations.

He outlined plans to increase engagement with the hospital’s board and to implement a system of routine reporting to enhance transparency and accountability.

Acknowledging the constitutional mandate for ministerial oversight over government departments, Minister Joseph affirmed his commitment to aligning hospital management practices with constitutional principles.

He emphasized the need to strike a balance between governmental oversight and the autonomy of expert-led management teams.

Joseph reiterated his determination to address the systemic challenges facing the Mount St John Medical Center.

He said by implementing robust oversight mechanisms and prioritizing maintenance and operational efficiency, he aims to enhance the quality of healthcare delivery and restore public confidence in the hospital’s management.

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14 COMMENTS

  1. When all fails throw somebody else under the bus these ministers from the head down never take responsibility for anything oh my poor Antigua badly in need of real leaders

    • That’s precisely it. These government ministers will never take responsibility for the mess they created. Instead he decides to hire someone else who he will use as a scapegoat when things go awry.
      Things will never change if ministers hire unqualified people and those same so called “experts” make a mess and then the cycle repeats itself.

      Shake my head!

    • Minister Joseph your ratings has drop considerably. Shame on you! If you need your ratings to climb back up here are sone suggestions.

      1. Provide jobs for the young doctors, nurses & technicians.
      2. Increase the staff of the ER dept
      3. Listen and act on the cries of the people
      4. Open the clinics to 12.00 midnight
      5. Provide a customer service training for the medical staff at SLBMC Medical center
      6. Have a program to interact with the public, once monthly
      The time is now to take your name out NEGGA mouth!!

      I

  2. please do up there very hot no AC working
    at all an some patient like asthmatic an even the nurses an doctor working there I feel sorry for them too because they are human too

  3. Eh eh, cooyah, where’s my kucumber!!!🥒

    I’ve heard more from the Health Minister Molwyn Joseph in the last 24 hours than I’ve heard since the turn of 2024 – what ah something!

    Is the Minister going to also speak out about the devastating and damaging effects of the Covid-19 vaccines as well?

    OR ISN’T HE ALLOWED TO ROCK THE BOAT?

    FASCINATING … 🤔

  4. People need to read and understand. Who was in power 2009 when the legislation for the Board was established? The legislation puts the management of the hospital in the hamds of the Board. Either find a competent Board or change and amend the legislation to give the government the power to deal eith the hispital. But when that happens the same people now complaining will say the Minister wants power. We can’t have it both ways

    • But I can guarantee that even though there is a board the minister still has them like puppets! Or goes around them and does what he wants in similar fashion to our beloved members of parliament!

  5. Am happy you are looking into it, it’s a overall look into. Equipments and Doctors an. All Doctors and Nurses and all who work at mount st John’s .not bc they have Dr behind their names mean they are qualified. Or Nurses. Am concern bc.the way I heard alot of ppl speak about it it not nice.if these kind of words continue to circulate it not nice on our beautiful island. I know we have good and bad ppl in all establishments. But hospital is a place for the sick wanting to recover n go bk home to their families. When possible what Doctors and Nurses can’t do God will do the rest. I heard a nurse bad treating a elderly person..when it come to Doctors, Nurses health care workers. Police and others we have to have a lot and lot of tolerance bc some ppl doesn’t have manners and respect. But think of it this way ,, God is watching .we must love our own and want the best of it.not to be neglectful bc one day your turn will come if u do evil or GOOD.am the head of that department did I do my best to ensure all equipments are working. Did I oversee well.cleaner did I clean well.cooks did I cook well.ordely did I help that person well.Midwife helper did I administer assisted well. Doctors and Nurses did I treat my patients well did I give the right medications. Every thing is not about politics. Stop trying to fill barns and straffy .willfully or meraccident…this is my land Antigua and Barbuda. EACH ENDEAVORING ALL ACHIEVING .LOVE U MY PPL.

  6. Bla! Bla! Bla!bla!bla!
    Why you didn’t answer the phone when your comrade was calling?
    Eh? Why?
    Some humility please 🙏🏽😌

  7. All this time Sir Lift Rolls Royce over Port fence in this position, getting paid with our tax dollars and doing nothing but sitting on his ass. Now you get called out and now you say you going to do something. You must think we stupid. You run your mouth all the time but talk is cheap and even more cheaper when coming from your mouth.

    You must wish you could solve all these health issues just as easy as you arranged for a crane to do your business but it nar wuk so.

    You got knighted for doing not a damned thing. Only in this country people commit crimes and get knighted.

    Sir Lift Rolls Royce over Port fence needs to be removed from the position and stop more of our tax dollars from being wasted. Oh I am sure you getting everything in duty free too.

  8. The #bad_behaviour which is ‘allegedly’ happening amongst the staff at Punkic Hospital can be for any number, of reasons.
    It’s akin, to the same “bad_behaviour’ in the Public Aector.
    While things such as Customer Care have improved, in the Public Sector, the government MUST conduct investigations, and have ongoing training to address the issue.

    This problem of poor Customer care did not begin with this present government. Lest be honest folks.
    The #bad_behavior was a part of Our Culture, even before Burning Flames sang. “Ah Rudeness Mek Me;” and, ain’t no Prime Minister, Government Officials who can change that. This is a People Problem. Change your own “bad behavior” to positively caring for what you’re charged with doing and hope that it rubs off and spread like wild fire.

    Jumbee _Picknee aka Ras Smood
    De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard

    Vere C. Edwards

  9. What’s new here? Nothing.

    Each and every aspect of GOAB operations suffer from complacent negligence.

    Should there be an instance of something going right; it is put forward as being fantastic, and exceptional. He she or them needs to be given an award and be placed on the Front Pages.

    The Nepo Babies feeds on the underdogs, so only when a Comrade goes public and illustrates the negligence that he and his mother encountered. As he complains, he failed to recognize how the system is rigged.

    With the Health Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph issuing a “cover your ass statement” regarding the management structure of the Sir Lester Bird Medical Center, making reference to the need for increase oversight and accountability.

    Where has this person been? This is not only farcical, but truly comical. This is the Minister who was among the recent trip in China signing agreements for the use of AI at SLMC.
    Maybe the AI is to replace the negligent medical staff at SLBMC.

    This article crafted by one of GOAB flacks, is nothing but insult to injury. And the beat goes on with the GOAB pissing on you and telling you: “Its raining”.

  10. I am lost. So, Mr. Minister, you’re saying the Act puts oversight of the hospital under the purview of the Board but the Board is underperforming? And your only solution is that you take over? Not fire the Board and get a new Board? LOL. This must be the twilight zone. Your reasoning ability is irrational. I think your brain needs to be examined at that very same hospital because you are a damn mad man.

Comments are closed.