KPH to get new parking lot for staff
Published:Sunday | August 11, 2019 | 12:00 AM
The South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) has secured permission from the local government ministry to utilise a piece of land behind the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) to create a parking lot for staff of the institution.
Chairman of SERHA, Wentworth Charles, said a decision was made to utilise the land because there is a need to make more space available on the hospital compound for emergency vehicles.
“We had to look at the overcrowding of motor cars and parking in areas that are needed to facilitate emergency, especially because this is a hospital,” he said.
Charles, who took over chairmanship of SERHA two months ago, said that the parking challenges were very obvious during a recent visit to the hospital. He said the parking lot at the hospital has since been asphalted and re-marked.
“No one must park in the driveway because if we have an emergency, we need to have access. If we have a fire, God forbid, the fire truck must be able to have access and you don’t have to be calling ‘Johnny’ to come and remove his car,” he said.
He noted that the hospital has approximately 20,000 persons on staff, so the focus is now on providing a safe parking location for them.
“We anticipate that we should have that completed over the next three to four months in terms of having the lot fenced and asphalted,” he said.
VISITORS, TOO
The chairman acknowledged that parking is an issue for visitors as well. Currently, individuals visiting patients at the facility have very little option but to park at a lot across from the hospital; however, they have to pay a fee to the persons who generally man this location. Charles said this issue is also being considered.
“We are going to have to address that in the long run with the cooperation and the assistance of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation in getting that facility under appropriate control. Kingston Public Hospital is a unique hospital in a unique location. It requires an understanding of the landscape and someone who appreciates and understands how to treat with communities in and around that institution,” he said.