The Spanish Town Hospital has rejected claims that it has been negligent in the care of a motor vehicle crash victim who has spent over 10 months awaiting surgery, insisting that the patient has been receiving treatment and regular assessments in accordance with his medical requirements.

In a response to the Jamaica Observer’s report on Sunday, the hospital said Ralston Thomas was admitted after he was struck by a motor vehicle on October 16, 2025, leaving him with a fractured femur in his right leg and in need of surgery.

READ: 10 months in pain

The hospital said the procedure required implants which it requested, but the supplier was unable to provide them at the time.

Thomas had told the Sunday Observer that he had already paid $187,000 towards the surgery after his family raised the money through a GoFundMe campaign, and that he had been given several dates for follow-up and surgery. He said his surgery had been postponed and that he was repeatedly told to return to the orthopaedic clinic.

The hospital, however, said an assessment of Thomas’s condition determined that it was not life-threatening and that he was discharged from the main hospital premises with plans for follow-up at the outpatient orthopaedic clinic.

They said Thomas subsequently became a “social case” and remained under the hospital’s care, eventually being transferred to a ward managed by the hospital at the Spanish Town Infirmary.

According to the hospital, Thomas continued to receive treatment and regular assessments while awaiting surgery.

That account provides context to Thomas’s earlier explanation that he was moved to the infirmary after his surgery was postponed because he had no one at home to care for him, as his relatives live overseas. He had also described being confined to a bed at the infirmary while experiencing persistent pain.

Thomas had said that at a July 3 clinic visit he was expecting to receive a surgery date, but was told the hospital could not admit him because its beds were full and only one machine was working, while emergency cases were coming in.

He also said he was told that although his own case was considered an emergency, other patients with more urgent cases had to be treated first.

Spanish Town Hospital has now confirmed that emergencies taking precedence formed part of the reason for the delay.

“Though there is need for surgical intervention, the delay was compounded by the unavailability of the necessary implants required from the supplier, in addition to emergencies that took precedence over the patient’s case, based on the nature and severity of other cases/injuries, as per the hospital triage system,” the hospital said in its response.

Thomas had also told the Observer that he was frustrated after seeing other patients who arrived at the hospital after him undergo surgery while he continued to wait. He said that at a clinic visit on August 28, he was given another six-week date.

The hospital’s latest account suggests, however, that the case has moved beyond the earlier implant-supply problem.

They said the orthopaedic team received the required implants in July and that, at Thomas’s last assessment in August, discussions were held and arrangements made for his surgery.

The hospital did not state when the operation is expected to take place.

Thomas’s cousin, Beverly Armstrong, had previously raised concerns about the prolonged delay and said the family had also explored having him transferred to Kingston Public Hospital. She said the family was told KPH was willing to take him but that they encountered difficulties getting Spanish Town Hospital to cooperate with the transfer.

Armstrong also said the family had encountered difficulties recovering money paid to a third-party facility for devices needed for Thomas’s surgery, alleging that the company indicated that 10 per cent would be deducted from the amount paid. The family ultimately decided not to pursue the refund, she said, and remained focused on getting Thomas the operation.