ONLY 10 per cent of Jamaica’s private nursing homes are registered.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has acknowledged that, of the estimated 200 nursing homes operating in Jamaica, only about 20 are registered.

The information was released by the Parliament last week after it was submitted to the Senate select committee that’s examining the proposal to craft an Elderly Care and Protection Act. The written answers to the questions submitted by the select committee, are over the signature of Permanent Secretary Errol Greene.

It explained that “the estimate of approximately 200 existing nursing homes islandwide was derived primarily through information provided by public health inspectors (PHIs)”.

“PHIs identify facilities, particularly new or previously unregistered ones, during their routine public health inspections,” it said.

When such facilities are found, they are reported to the ministry, specifically to the Standards and Regulation Division (SRD). The SRD also requests periodic updates from PHIs to maintain a current inventory of operating facilities across the island.

“Additionally, some nursing homes come to the ministry’s attention when operators seek insurance coverage, as insurers often require proof of registration before providing services. Furthermore, during inspections for food handler[’s] permits, PHIs may encounter unregistered nursing homes and advise operators of their legal obligations to seek registration.”

Of the approximately 200 facilities identified, only about 10 per cent have met or exceeded the ministry’s regulatory standards and requirements for formal registration. The facilities that are approved for registration must satisfy certain minimum regulatory criteria that ensure that only those capable of providing safe and competent care are officially recognised.

Private nursing homes are usually inspected one to two times per year, depending on the type of facility. Smaller facilities like nursing homes are inspected twice per year, while private hospitals are inspected once. The inspection process typically involves document review, direct observation, and interviews.

When asked how many nursing homes are monitored by the health ministry, the ministry’s response stated that as at April 2025 a total of 30 facilities are registered under the Nursing Homes Registration Act (NHRA), 1934. These include four private hospitals; four medical ambulatory surgery centres accommodating patients overnight for post-operative care; and 22 long-term care facilities encompassing both nursing homes and residential care homes.

The health ministry explained that residential care facilities provide support to individuals aged 18 years and older who are unable to live independently but require only assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), without the need for continuous medical or nursing care.

“In contrast, nursing homes serve individuals aged 18 years and older who, due to illness, infirmity, or other health conditions, are unable to perform their ADLs and require continuous skilled nursing care provided by a registered nurse. The length of stay in these facilities may be long-term, such as in hospices, or short-term, as seen in certain hospital or maternity home arrangements.

“At present, the ministry does not maintain separate statistics on the individual types of long-term care facilities. As a result, all long-term care institutions are currently categorised as nursing homes,” the ministry shared.

It noted that this is distinct from private hospitals and ambulatory surgery centres. It said private medical facilities that provide ambulatory services occasionally accommodate patients overnight for post-operative care.

“In such cases, a registered nurse must be on site to provide clinical support, which necessitates their registration under the NHRA.”