Tufton satisfied with improvements at Falmouth Hospital

WESTERN BUREAU:

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has expressed satisfaction with the present physical state of the Falmouth Hospital, Trelawny. The Type C medical facility has taken on a modern, new look following an investment of over $140 million to upgrade the structure.

Tufton, who toured the hospital last Friday, was particularly pleased with the recently constructed $44-million walkway, which has basically put all areas of the facility under one roof.

“This hospital now boasts a walkway which connects all wards. There is no longer any need to fear the heat from the sun, or rain. Patients can now be transferred from ward to ward in comfort along the walkway,” said Tufton.

The health minister also used the opportunity to praise the management of the hospital for continuously advocating for the improvement of the facility, which is seemingly on course to be upgraded to Type B.

“You now have four operating theatres. This is because of the Government investing $87 million in the refurbishing of the operating theatres. This makes elective surgery more readily available,” noted Tufton.

“When I became minister eight years ago, your bed count was 87, and now you have doubled that number,” added Tufton.

The minister was addressing the current capacity of the hospital, which was built in 1954 and now has a bed capacity of 179.

Princess Wedderburn, the chief operating officer at the hospital, said the facility has taken on a new look since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have a 40-bed ward (built at a cost of $200 million for COVID-19 patients) which now accommodates patients from Cornwall Regional Hospital. There are 69 patients listed on our wards and two social patients,” she said. “Our social worker has been doing a great job in reducing the number of social cases.”

Businessman Ken Grant, the chairman of the hospital’s board of management, says he is delighted with the improvements that have taken place in recent times, and is looking forward to the upgrading of the status of the hospital.

“It gives me great pleasure to be chairman at this time,” said Grant. “Our designation is a Type C hospital, but with 23 doctors working at the hospital, and the level of investment we are seeing, I believe we are poised to be upgraded to Type B.

During the tour of the hospital, Tufton also met with the vector control staff, whose work he said is critical in the post-Hurricane Beryl era.

“In this post-Hurricane Beryl period, you are God-sent in the control of mosquitoes. Your fogging and larvacidal work is of great importance to the nation, as it reduces the spread dengue,” said Tufton.