Health minister continues her familiarisation visits |30 June 2012

On May 30, 2012, the minister accompanied by principal secretary Veronique Laporte, as well as the chief medical officer, Dr. Anne Gabriel, and chief nursing officer, Bella Henderson, visited the Grand Anse Praslin health centre where they interacted with the staff there.

After this visit, Minister Larue and her delegation revisited the Baie Ste Anne hospital, which she had toured at an earlier date.

On this second visit at Baie Ste Anne, the minister and her delegation were accompanied by representative of the Joint American Task Force who has volunteered to undertake some renovation work on the old Baie Ste Anne hospital.

The main purpose of the visit was for the minister and the Joint American Task Force to tour this old hospital and assess the level of renovation work needed to turn it into a staff quarters.

The Task Force will also undertake renovation work on the staff houses at the Grand Anse Praslin health centre.

Over the last four weeks, the minister and her delegation has also completed familiarisation visits to a number of other health centres including at Anse Aux Pins, Beau Vallon, Anse Boileau and Baie Lazare.

The visits have allowed the minister to see firsthand and hear from the staff their various strengths, challenges and concerns.

At the Beau Vallon health centre for example, the minister commended the staff on the cleanliness of their different units and their adherence to the ministry’s dress code.

A common issue of concern that has been observed during all the visits the minister has conducted so far has been the issue of communication between staff and patients.

The minister is now holding meetings with various staff in the ministry to promote a culture of “Patient First”.