Expect first-class health care - WRHA

Calvin G. Brown, the chairman of Western Regional Heath Authority (WRHA), says the organisation will continue to ensure that the services being delivered to the public in western Jamaica is of a high standard.

Brown, who was speaking at the opening of an exhibition last Thursday to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Cornwall Regional Hospital Child Protection Committee, says the team he leads is committed to delivering quality service. .

"The board of directors and the management of the hospital are committed to doing everything possible to continuously improve the delivery of services, not only at Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH), but throughout the region in both primary and secondary health care." Brown said.

Brown also gave an assurance that the plans for the child and adolescent hospital, which was promised some time ago by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller were being finalised. He said the facility is to be built on the CRH compound. He also noted that major improvements were being undertaken in a number of health service areas throughout western Jamaica.

"We aim to have CRH recapture pride of place among health institutions in the Caribbean," stated Brown, who added that a cancer treatment centre should be opened within another twelve months. "There is much more to come."

Speaking against the background of frequent complaints about the quality of service at CRH, Brown noted that while it is true that aspects of the physical plant has deteriorated somewhat, the quality of health care has not.

"It cannot be denied that over the years, time has taken its toll on some aspects of the physical plant, but I can attest to the fact that service delivery continues at a very high standard," said Brown.

A 'Parent Place'

Within the next year, a 'Parent Place' is to be established at CRH through a joint initiative between the Dr Garfield Badal led Child Protection Committee the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC). Partnership support is also expected from the private sector.

"The NPSC is very excited about the invitation to establish a Parent Place here so that we can hold parenting workshops, provide the quality information that you need to become more effective and so that we can make referrals and connect you to the support that you need to become a more effective parent," said NPSC Executive Director Dr Patrece Charles Freeman.

"The commission?s aim is to try and open the eyes to everyone, both children and parent, to a new type of parenting as to how you can develop a better relationship; how parents can understand our children in the 21st Century," Dr Charles Freeman said, in noting that a new type of parenting to stop children dying every day from abuse is needed.

With some 30 children dying gruesome deaths so far this year, Dr Charles Freeman said parents needed to take the time to be more involved in the lives of their children with a view of developing better relationship with them.