The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

STATE Minister for Health and Wellness Owen Wells said the government plans to regulate the funeral services industry, promising legislation to impose licensing requirements, professional standards, consumer protections and accountability measures on a sector families rely on in moments of grief.

Contributing to the 2026/2027 Budget Debate in the House of Assembly on Thursday, Mr Wells said the Ministry of Health and Wellness intends to advance a Funeral Services Industry Bill as part of a broader legislative programme to modernise healthcare regulation.

Mr Wells said families place “tremendous trust” in funeral professionals during periods of grief and loss, making regulation necessary to ensure clear standards govern the industry.

He said the proposed framework will address licensing requirements, professional standards, operational requirements, consumer protections and accountability measures.

“The objective is to ensure that families receive services that meet clear standards of professionalism while preserving the dignity and respect that should accompany end-of-life care and funeral services,” he said.

Mr Wells did not detail when the bill will be tabled, what penalties it may contain, or which agency would be responsible for enforcing the proposed standards.

The funeral services proposal was one of several legislative initiatives Mr Wells outlined as the Ministry of Health and Wellness seeks to expand regulation across the health sector.

He said the ministry also intends to advance a Patients’ Rights Bill to establish a clearer framework governing the relationship between patients and healthcare providers. That bill, he said, would support principles relating to informed consent, confidentiality, access to information, professional conduct and the respectful treatment of people receiving care.

Mr Wells also said the ministry intends to continue work on an Elderly Abandonment Bill to strengthen protections for older Bahamians, establish clearer standards and promote respect for their dignity and wellbeing.

The minister of state said the government’s legislative programme will aim to strengthen patient protections, update professional regulation, enhance public health preparedness and support innovation in care delivery.

“As we move into this new term, the Ministry intends to further bring components of these Acts into force and continue advancing legislation that addresses matters of growing importance to the Bahamian public,” he said.

Mr Wells said the Ministry of Health and Wellness also plans to establish a dedicated Legal Unit during this fiscal period to handle legal and regulatory matters internally.

He said legal support for the ministry has long been provided largely through the Public Hospitals Authority, the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Legal Affairs, but argued that the ministry’s growth and modernisation now require dedicated internal legal capacity.

He said the unit would help the ministry respond faster to legal and regulatory issues, reduce delays in contract negotiations, strengthen procurement processes and ensure policies and programmes are legally sound from the outset.

Mr Wells said the unit would also ease pressure on the Office of the Attorney General by allowing routine and specialised health-sector legal matters, including licensing issues, administrative actions, contract drafting, regulatory implementation and clinical governance matters, to be handled within the ministry.

He said the ministry also plans to establish a Public Health Operations Task Force to examine how different parts of the public healthcare system function together.

The task force, he said, will review operational relationships among the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Department of Public Health, Princess Margaret Hospital, Rand Memorial Hospital, the Supplies Management Agency and other relevant entities.

He said it will assess workflows, identify bottlenecks and duplication, and recommend practical solutions to improve coordination across public healthcare.

Mr Wells also said the ministry will continue implementing Electronic Medical Records across Department of Public Health facilities during this budget cycle while advancing integration with key public healthcare institutions.

He said the government also intends to strengthen the Health Information Exchange so authorised healthcare providers can securely access patient information when required.

“These topics may appear administrative in nature, but their purpose is people-centred and intended to protect patients, support families, assist healthcare workers and strengthen public confidence in our healthcare system,” he said.