Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre gets cash injection

The Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre was established in October 1954 in response to a major poliomyelitis outbreak in Jamaica. Formerly called the Mona Rehabilitation Centre, it was founded by Sir John Golding, an orthopaedic surgeon, and a small, dedicated team. It was re-named in Golding’s honour following his death in 1996.

Now, over 20 years later, the centre is a Type-C specialist hospital in the South East Regional Health Authority, and has extended its services to include treating individuals with any form of spinal cord injuries. Guided by their mission to provide the highest quality rehabilitation service to optimise the health, function and quality of life for persons with alteration of body functions, the centre provides an array of services from physiotherapy to nutritional care, speech and occupational therapy and surgery. Recently, this life-changing organisation was the top recipient in the special needs category for the NCB Foundation Grant A Wish programme and has received $850,000, which will assist the centre in continuing to provide quality care.

Limited by various financial and resource-based constraints, as well as the volume of cases they so often get, the centre has an extensive needs list that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. From beds, to bedpan sterilisers, folding wheelchairs and washing machines and dryers — the centre is often strained for the resources needed to carry out its operations.

“COVID-19 impacted us significantly, as stringent measures had to be put in place for visitors, staff and patients to reduce the likelihood of any of them contracting or importing the disease into the facility,” Matron Andrea Christie, who serves as the director of nursing services at the centre, said.

The pandemic has been especially rough on patients and healthcare providers. Patients saw a significant reduction in family and friends who could visit due to physical distancing restrictions, and were unable to go home for family integration without being officially discharged, as yet another safety measure that had to be put in place. The centre also saw a drastic reduction in the annual external philanthropic ventures of gift giving, especially for the paediatric patients. Many of their regular sponsors were unable to visit, especially during the holiday season.

IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE

However, despite the challenges Christie said she has seen a stronger bond and camaraderie among staff and patients. This year, the team has their sights set on expanding their service offering to include a mobile rehabilitation care unit in order to make services more accessible and available to persons living with spinal cord injury (SCI), reduce morbidity and mortality rates and overall, improve the quality of life of Jamaicans. Through this service they hope to also inform the public and Government about the need for awareness of SCI disability issues, facilitate better monitoring and evaluation of patient cases in their jurisdiction, build a rehabilitation care network for the delivery of safe, appropriate and effective care and overall to create a paradigm shift in rehabilitation service delivery.

“NCB Foundation’s donation took us by complete surprise, but we are absolutely elated! We thank the NCB family and Jamaica for nominating and voting for us! Your vote mattered and this donation will certainly help us in addressing our needs list and working towards establishing our mobile rehabilitation care unit. This will greatly enhance our efficiency in delivering quality rehabilitation health care! Thank you so, so much!” Christie said.

The Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre is one of more than 60 recipients in the 2020 NCB Foundation Grant A Wish programme. This year wishes were granted in five categories: children’s home, nursing home, special needs, organisation in need and individual in need.