538 new beds for POS General Hospital

A TOTAL of 538 new beds will arrive at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital on November 18, to augment the existing number of beds for patients, as part of the North-West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) upgrade of health facilities under its jurisdiction. The new beds will be furnished with night stands, handrails and table tops. This was revealed during a NWRHA’s Public Board meeting at the National Library in Port-of-Spain. NWRHA Chief Executive Officer Cynthia Carrington-Murray said the General Hospital maintained a 90 percent occupancy rate where there are 589 rated beds, with an average occupancy of 400 beds on a daily basis.

The City Hospital will also see upgrades to Wards 53 and 54, construction of a new Radiology Room in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department (along with new equipment), the refurbishment of the Eye Clinic (including the launch of a Satellite Pharmacy this month) and the construction of Ward 8, for use as a Model Psychiatric Unit. The A&E department at the City Hospital, Carrington-Murray said, will also be redesigned to expand the area as patients have complained that the area was small and inadequate, especially since the A&E has a steady flow of patients on a daily basis.

She added that the A&E needed to be monitored more closely to distinguish which patients should be in that area. Statistical data from the Port-of-Spain General Hospital has shown that the treatment of gunshot wounds and accidents has increased this year. In 2004, 1,443 persons were treated between January-December, while for 2005, 1,603 persons have been treated so far, for gunshot wounds. Carrington-Murray said staff at the POS General Hospital needed  also to undergo training as customer surveys have shown that the majority of complaints received from patients expressed dissatisfaction with staff attitude. Carrington-Murray said the NWRHA will develop a cadre of caring staff to deliver quality care to patients. Secrets of meeting Russian women for marriage