WRHA reports progress in relocating social cases from Cornwall Regional Hospital

 

 

The Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) says progress has been made in relocating social cases who were being cared for by Cornwall Regional Hospital, moving from 66 to 57 in two weeks.

 

Dr. Delroy Fray, Clinical Coordinator for the WRHA, said the Authority has stepped up pressure on social workers to find suitable accommodation for the patients who have been reportedly abandoned by relatives.

 

This has placed an additional strain on hospitals where beds are in short supply.

 

In an interview with Radio Jamaica News, Dr. Fray said the hospital was successful in its efforts to remove some of the social cases last week.

 

"We have gotten aggressive with our social workers. In fact, last week alone, we were able to place nine of those 65 in places outside of the care of Cornwall Regional Hospital. In fact, eight were placed at the infirmary, one self-discharged. So currently, under our care, we have 57 social cases," he shared.

 

Dr. Fray is optimistic that more of the social cases will be relocated before Cornwall Regional Hospital, which is being rehabilitated, is ready for full occupancy. 

 

"You might say to me, why this wasn't done before? Well, why it wasn't done before is that it has affected our care, so we are more aggressive in how we address it. Once you come to our doors, we're going to have reliable information - who brought you in, whose number we need to call, next of kin, et cetera, et cetera. We don't want to get back into that state that we have had in the past. Mind you, there are patients that are left at our doorway, where we don't have no contact with anybody. We are trying to minimise that," he said.