Another rogue rehabilitation centre pops up in Hanover

WESTERN BUREAU:

With the authorities in Hanover still pondering how to handle issues surrounding an unauthorised rehabilitation centre, which popped up in the parish last November, another such facility has been discovered in the parish.

Like the Chances Rehabilitation Centre, which was discovered in the neighbouring Chigwell and Rejoin communities, the newly discovered facility, Peoples Nursing Home, which is located in Dias, was originally based in St James.

After the Chances facility was discovered, the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), the Hanover Health Department (HHD), the Hanover police and the Hanover branch of the Jamaica Fire Brigade carried out inspections and discovered numerous breaches. The operator was instructed to fix the issues or face closure.

At last Thursday’s meeting of the HMC, the HHD tabled a report stating that “on December 30, 2020, an inspection was carried out for a new nursing home, Peoples Nursing Home ... . It serves as a nursing home/rehabilitation centre. The institution houses 11 residents – five males and six females.”

The news took councillors by surprise as there were audible gasps in the meeting chamber. This was followed by questions as to what to do with this new facility, which they fear could also be breaching health and safety regulations.

NOT COMFORTABLE

Medical Officer of Health for Hanover, Dr Kaushal Singh, told the meeting that he is not comfortable with the sudden relocation of the facilities from St James, especially since they were operating without any permits or licences. He said he intended to bring the matter to the attention of the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

“So, Hanover is a dumping ground?” asked one bemused councillor, as his colleagues argued over whether or not the latest facility should be served with an immediate closure notice to discourage other entities, with similar intentions, from targeting the parish.

“We need to show them that those who are thinking of coming to this parish to do any illegal stuff, that we have some form of defence here,” said councillor Easton Edwards from the Lucea division.

Meanwhile, at a meeting held in December 2020 between the operators of the Chances Rehabilitation Centre and the HMC, the HHD and the JCF, at which several concerns were raised about breaches in their operations, the operators were given the green light to continue operating, on the condition that the issues identified be remedied.

At last week’s meeting of the HMC, it was reported that a recent inspection was done at the Chances Rehabilitation Centre and it was discovered that nothing had been done to correct the identified breaches which they had committed to fixing.

“We gave them two weeks, and the date expired on December 28, 2020, so if they did not comply with that, they did not apply to the Ministry (of Health) for the necessary approvals. They did not put the documentary evidence in place that they are qualified to run such a facility; all these things – infrastructure, licensing, HR (human resource) qualification, all supporting documents that are required. If they have not complied with these, then we are going to close them down,” Singh told councillors at the meeting.

Lucea Mayor Sheridan Samuels, who is also the chairman of the HMC, said an investigation is needed to explain the reason for the new trend and has asked for a full report on all rehabilitation centres and nursing homes operating in the parish.