NEGRIL, Westmoreland — In an effort to take some of the pressure off the public health-care system, the Government is working to bring private medical institutions up to a certain standard and partner with them, according to Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton. Part of that push means unregistered private facilities will have to regularise their status.

“What is going to happen over the next number of months is that we will spend more time trying to work with the private entities. We’re trying to get them to come up to the requirements to meet the standards. Where we have to do more, we do more. Where they [private institutions] have to do more, we will encourage them to do more. And then out of that, hopefully, will come partnerships where we can share the burden of treating the population from the various illnesses or emergencies that they encounter,” Tufton said last Saturday during a tour of the privately owned Omega Medical Hospital in Negril.

“[There are] quite a number who are unregistered — in some instances without making the effort to get registered. The Government thinks that this is not good. It certainly is a breach in terms of the policies of the Government. And frankly, we’re going to have to step up the pace to try to ensure that they are registered,” he said.

Tufton noted that both these facilities and the ministry have a role to play in this process.

“For example, there’s a shortage of personnel, which means that they have to be allowed to bring in persons with work permits, with the appropriate qualification, through the medical or the nursing council. Sometimes the process is bureaucratic, so we’re going to have to work on that,” he conceded.

“There are other issues, like certification of the labs and other such issues that I think the government bureaucracy has to work with the private entities to ensure that they get the standard,” added Tufton.

He noted that from a policy perspective, the ministry sees private and public institutions as one, working toward a common cause.

“Therefore, the more we have options in our society where Jamaicans — once they earn and can afford — have the option to go to a private institution, is the less pressure it places on the people. And therefore, we see a lot of cases in the public system. And indeed, there are going to be cases where certain services are offered that can be more efficient and people are willing to pay, whether they have insurance or they pay more. This is something that we really should encourage, where we have one health. That’s a fundamental philosophy that we’re big on. I’m certainly big on that and the Government is too,” explained Tufton.

He lauded Omega Medical as the type of facility that will enhance the country’s standard of health care.

“This is a nice facility. It’s modern. It has a number of services — diagnostic services, lab services, operating theatre services — and [is] well-placed here in Negril where we have a large local and tourist population. From that standpoint, I think they’re well-positioned in terms of location and services to be a big contributor to the population in these spots,” stated Tufton.

Omega Medical CEO Dr Dalton James said he is looking forward to seeing some of the help Tufton has promised, including with work permits.

“He seemed to be very interested in helping us navigate that kind of bureaucracy… We have recertification done but we have the challenges of these specialists. He’s willing to work with us. I think this was a positive visit and we look forward to working with him,” he said.

Dr James told the Jamaica Observer that among the categories of specialised medical staff needed are anaesthesiologists, orthopaedic surgeons, obstetrician-gynaecologists and cardiologists.

“These are medical specialists that are not easily available in Jamaica and even if they are in Jamaica, most of them don’t want to leave Kingston to come down to this area,” he explained.

He said while these medical specialists are available overseas, there is a challenge getting work permits for them.

“It is serious in that they are required to run a hospital efficiently, but it becomes more difficult when you try to get them in because you have to seek work permits and sometimes that becomes difficult,” he said.