St. Jude’s Hospital.
The St. Jude’s Hospital recently completed a comprehensive review of its security system with the hope of beefing up security, to discourage bandits from invading its premises.
This move comes a few weeks after staff at the hospital’s business office was robbed at gun point.
Dr. Cherry Poyotte, Chief Executive Director of St. Jude’s Hospital, said that an action plan has been developed, which will hopefully improve the current situation.
“We are working cooperatively with the Ministry of Health. The idea is that we develop a comprehensive review, which has been shared with the ministry. We are hoping that moving forward, we will increase and improve the security at the hospital,” Dr Poyotte added.
He said the review is also part of a wider focus, to improve all the systems by which the hospital operates, before it is relocated.
St Lucia News Online (SNO) reported on March 13, 2014 that the perpetrator was still on the run. The officers of the Criminal Investigations Department, (CID) of the Southern Division are searching for the robber. Police said it is alleged that a masked individual armed with what appeared to be a shotgun, entered into one of the offices of the medical facility and “stole an undisclosed sum of money.”
SNO understands that about $1000 went missing.
Meanwhile, in addition to improving on its security, the hospital’s review also looked at working on performance improvement, policies and procedures (standard operating procedures) and clinical care guidelines.
Dr. Poyotte pointed out that in 2012, as part of the Ministry of Health drive to have hospitals accredited a survey was done at that hospital.
He noted the institution is now working to become an accredited facility, and to meet international standards.
“This is because we believe that we must be able to demonstrate to the public that commitment to excellence,” he added.
These plans are expected to become effective soon with the support of the ministry.
St. Jude’s Hospital is a statutory body of the government of Saint Lucia and is governed by a board of directors appointed by the minister of health. It is located in Augier, Vieux-Fort, in the southern tip of the island. It serves a population of approximately 66,000 persons.