24-hour polyclinic service a success

Minister of Health and Wellness Lieutenant Col Jeffrey Bostic is reporting that about 10 000 visits were recorded in the first three months of the 24-hour polyclinic service.

Giving an update on the new health care service while delivering remarks during the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Amendment) Bill 2019, Bostic said that majority of the persons who used the service, did so between 8 a.m. and midnight.

He also indicated that an estimated 15 persons used the service between 12 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily.

“We expect the numbers to climb as we strengthen the system. But that 24-hour service is seeing patients and Barbadians from all of the catchment areas in this country, particularly from the Brandford Taitt Polyclinic, the Edgar Cochrane Polyclinic in Wildey, Randal Philips in Oistins, and obviously the Winston Scott catchment area,” he said.

The Minister noted that the service which started in July, still needed to be improved. He said plans were being put in place to allow physicians working with the 24-hour service to have access to radiological services so they would be able to deliver interventions.

“The 24-hour service was one of those programmes that was designed not only to take some of the pressure off of the Accident and Emergency Department, but also to provide another avenue for most Barbadians who cannot afford to go private, to be able to access quality health care 24 hours a day. And that decision and the subsequent execution of that project has borne some tremendous fruit in this country,” Bostic said.