The management of the Bellevue Hospital has pledged to investigate reports of substandard patient care observed by our news team at the facility.
“The report will be thoroughly investigated and the appropriate action taken if staff members are found to be operating in breach of the hospital’s standard operating procedures,” read a section of the hospital’s written response.
The hospital’s management also stated that its policy for bathing patients stipulates that the process is to be carried out under the supervision of a suitably qualified team member “in an environment that is safe and patient’s privacy is observed”. That was not the case when The Sunday Gleaner visited.
“The hospital does not have mass bathing as part of its policies, neither does it endorse any such activity among our patients,” read another section of the response.The hospital also noted that the bathroom on Ward T, which our news team observed was not being used, was repaired six months ago.
Conditions being improved
“No zinc fence currently exists on T ward. Patients are utilising the internal bathrooms and an external one is under construction to facilitate wheelchair patients,” the hospital said.
According to the hospital, its management team has been addressing a number of situations to improve the lives of its staff and patients.
“Included in our recent interventions is a bathroom project, whereby 12 bathrooms have been renovated so far,” the management stated.The hospital said a tarpaulin has been hanging over the beds of several patients since July 2011 because the area leaks whenever it rains heavily.
“Infrastructural deficiencies are being addressed subject to availability of funds and observance of the procurement procedures.
“The institution has embarked on an exercise whereby patients will be reclassified and regrouped according to their level of dependence. In this programme, wards are to be modified to improve their care.
“Assessment of patients and infrastructure is already done and the renovation of bathrooms already started. $20m had been earmarked from the NHF (National Health Fund) for this programme.”
