MOUNT SALEM, St James — Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says he will be ensuring that a case study is done on the ailing Cornwall Region Hospital in St James.

Dr Tufton pointed out that the aim of the study is to ensure that lessons learned are being documented, which could assist in preventing a recurrence of a similar issue.

“One of the things that I would like to do as somebody with academic background is to invite academia, or to do it ourselves in the ministry, the development of a case study on the Cornwall Regional experience,” suggested Dr Tufton, who added, “I am going to ensure that it is done, and done for historical purposes for the future and for others who will be in position like myself or otherwise.”

“I am going to take it to the highest level of the country, meaning, the executive arm of Government and table it in the Parliament. Because, I really believe that there are some important lessons to be learned from this experience. To not learn those lessons, we would be vulnerable to repeat history in a negative way in this instance, which is clearly what we don’t want for this country.”

Work commenced at the hospital over a year ago after staff members and patients complained of noxious fumes emanating from a section of the building.

However, following the start of work, other problems with the building have emerged.

The Government has spent approximately $492-million to date on addressing issues at the institution.

“I will be prepared to say that we started out with what seems to be an easy problem to fix. Further analysis created a much more severe issue, which could be described as a crisis situation which led to the relocation of services,” stated Dr Tufton, who added that to date, efforts have been made to continue services while the building is being restored.

Preparations are currently being made to have internal medicine services patients relocated to the, Falmouth Hospital in Trelawney and the Noel Holmes Hospital in Hanover. Intensive or critical care patients are also being housed at Falmouth and Cornwall. Expansion work is also being carried out on building A of the Cornwall Regional Hospital staff quarters to hold an additional 36 beds for the orthotics and gynecological services.

Falmouth hospital will also accommodate elective surgeries, while emergency surgical services will be carried out at Cornwall.

The arrangements and expansion work at facilities Cornwall and Falmouth hospitals are expected to accommodate some 110 beds.

Vehicles to assist with the transportation of patients and staff were also purchased.

Other services are being offered at the Montego Bay and Mount Salem clinics, as well as a section of the nearby West Jamaica Conference Centre of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Cornwall Regional Hospital is a 10-story, 400-bed, Type A facility which was constructed and opened to the public in 1974.