The Tribune

BY ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Health and Wellness will launch an independent health task force next month which will, for up to 12 weeks, conduct a comprehensive review of public hospital operations and service delivery system, with reported recommendations expected to be implemented immediately.

Dr Michael Darville, during his contribution to the 2026-2027 Budget debate, said the task force will undertake a critical assessment of operations at both the Princess Margaret Hospital and Rand Memorial Hospital, including a review of budget allocations and service delivery performance.

“Next month my Ministry will launch an independent Health Task Force whose mandate will be to look closely at our public hospital operations and service delivery systems,” Dr Darville said.

“Critical assessments will be made inclusive of the budgetary allocations for both the Rand Memorial Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital.”

The minister said the task force’s work will be completed within 12 weeks and will include consultations with healthcare professionals across the system as well as members of the public.

“The work of the Task Force will take place over a period of no more than twelve weeks and will involve consultations with healthcare professionals at all levels,” he said.

“Finally, the people of this country and by extension patients who use our public hospitals will have their say on the way forward.”

Dr Darville said the review comes despite significant investments made by the Davis administration over the past four years to strengthen healthcare services throughout the country.

“Over the last four years, we invested heavily into this strategy and seen many major healthcare breakthroughs,” he said. “But I will be the first to admit that the struggle is real, and many challenges still exist across the entire healthcare system that need focused attention particularly at our public hospitals.”

The minister acknowledged ongoing concerns over lengthy waiting times, staffing shortages and service quality issues that continue to affect patients seeking care.

“But despite our efforts over the last four years there is always room for improvement particularly with the long waiting times, staff shortages, the quality of service and protocols that sometimes seem to be counter-productive,” Dr Darville said.

He added that the task force’s findings will be measured against recommendations previously made to hospital management, physicians, clinical staff and administrators to determine what reforms remain outstanding.

“The task force critical analysis and recommendations will be complied by the Secretariat of the task force in a comprehensive report that will be laid in this honourable House,” he said. “Immediately following the release of this report, the implementation of recommendations will begin.”

Dr Darville said the government’s healthcare reform efforts have been shaped by challenges identified after the Progressive Liberal Party returned to office in 2021, including aging hospital infrastructure, manpower shortages and funding constraints.

“When we took office in 2021, the initial assessment of our healthcare system highlighted many red flags, but three that stood out the most. And they are, the aging infrastructure of our hospitals, manpower shortages and funding shortages,” he said.

He argued that the government has since worked with the Ministry of Finance to address debts accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic while investing in infrastructure upgrades, service expansion, healthcare worker recruitment, legislative reforms and digital transformation initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs.

Dr Darville said healthcare agencies under his ministry perform different but essential functions and stressed that sustained investment remains necessary across all levels of the healthcare system, from preventive care and community clinics to specialist and tertiary services throughout the archipelago.