QEH to transform rehab services

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) is set to upgrade rehabilitation services by consolidating its therapy departments into a state-of-the-art facility, thanks to a refurbishment and expansion project funded by the Maria Holder Memorial Trust.

Officials unveiled the plans during a ceremony to hand over two new ambulances to the Emergency Ambulance Service in Wildey.

The hospital’s prosthetics and orthotics, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy departments, which are currently spread across three separate buildings, are to be combined into a modern, centralised facility.

The project, located at the back of the hospital, aims to streamline patient care and improve efficiency.

It will feature expanded treatment rooms and upgraded spaces designed to meet the growing demand for rehabilitation services.

“This will be a major advancement in how we provide rehab for the public of Barbados,” said chief executive officer Neil Clark.

He noted that staff working in these areas will play a key role in the design and development of the facility to ensure it meets both patient and operational needs.

“We’re very excited and privileged that the Maria Holder Memorial Trust has offered to fund this development for us,” Clarke added.

The trust views this project as an opportunity to address what it describes as a critical gap in the healthcare system, according to co-founder and chairman Christopher Holder, who said the philanthropic organisation has committed itself to the renovation despite not yet having cost estimates.

“While we don’t have the exact costs yet, we’ve committed to refurbishing and extending this part of the hospital,” Holder said as he showcased the expansion’s architectural blueprint.

“This aligns with our belief in helping those in greatest need, and the rehabilitation services are clearly an area that requires improvement.”

The trust’s CEO, Ruchelle Roach, provided more details on the project’s scope and timeline: “Currently, rehabilitation services are spread across three separate buildings, but this initiative will bring everything into one unit.

“It will include renovations, expansions, and additional treatment rooms to better serve patients.”

The detailed design phase is expected to begin in January, with renovations set to start by October.

While the trust will fund the construction, the QEH would be responsible for outfitting the facility with equipment and furnishings, Roach said.