A report outlining recommendations to strengthen operations at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) has received Cabinet approval and will be made publicly available shortly, says Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton.

 Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at the Ministry in New Kingston, to present the findings of the UHWI Institutional Review Committee, he said that the document, which examined the hospital’s institutional framework, provides recommendations “on the way forward and some of the critical reforms that are necessary”.

“We felt that there was a necessity to review the institutional arrangements of the UHWI, to look at all the critical parameters and to have a considered position as to how we make that very important institution sustainable, credible and, of course, carry out its mandate to advance both healthcare at the highest level but also the training of healthcare workers,” Dr Tufton stated.

He said he supports the recommendations of the report, noting that discussions going forward will focus on how to implement the measures effectively.

The Committee, chaired by Howard Mitchell, was appointed by the Minister to assess governance, procurement, financial and administrative systems at the hospital and make recommendation to strengthen accountability and improve performance in keeping with national healthcare priorities.

Among the recommendations is that the UHWI Act be amended to consider, among other things, the size of the Board, the definition of ex-officio membership and language alignment with the Customs Act.

The report also highlighted the need to strengthen strategic management, including human resource (HR) practices and medical education governance, and to bolster internal planning capability and consultative decision-making with clear authority lines.

Also recommended are measures to improve financial governance and resources, including revenue optimisation, receivable discipline and inventory and property management.

The Committee further proposed the appointment of an independent body for an initial one year to give oversight to the board, to provide guidance on hospital governance and cultural changes, as well as to develop the critical pathway to compliance.

A service level agreement between the UHWI and the Ministry, as is the standard practice with the Regional Health Authorities, is also part of the recommendations of the Review Committee.

Mitchell said that the document is intended to support, not replace, the role of the hospital’s Board of Management.

“This report is not a prescriptive report. It is not acting in place of the Board of Management of the University Hospital. It is supporting the board…which we are confident will be able, with support, to execute the recommendations,” he pointed out.

He stressed the need for immediate action to operationalise the recommendations to address the governance and operational challenges at the UHWI, including deficiencies in financial management, procurement systems and oversight.

“We need to convert those recommendations into a sequenced implementation plan with a critical path timeline to ensure its successful implementation within a very reasonable period of time,” Mitchell said.

The report will be mounted on the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ website.

The other members of the UHWI Institutional Review Committee are Chief Programme Officer in the Ministry, Kadian Birch; Professor Marvin Reid from the Office of the Deputy Principal, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona; Attorney-at-law, Angela Robertson; Retired Chief Audit Executive, Joseph Taffe; and Professor Alvin Wint.