Fewer psychiatric patients at SFGH

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh

THERE has been a more than four per cent decrease in the number of patients at the San Fernando General Hospital psychiatric ward and an independent committee has found no need for relocation, says Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh.

He was responding to a question in the Senate yesterday from Opposition Senator Wade Mark on reports that the ward needed to be relocated because of an increase in the patient population.

Deyalsingh, also St Joseph MP, said for 2015-2018 there had been no significant increase in the number of patients admitted to the ward and there was no need for relocation.

Mark asked what was the population at the ward and Deyalsingh said there has been a declining trend, from 902 in 2015 to 859 in 2018, or a decrease of 4.7 per cent.

Deyalsingh also said there was a psychiatric hospital tribunal visit on December 8, 2017, attended by Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Roshan Parasram, Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle, secretary of the Psychiatric Association of TT (and now also Independent Senator) Dr Varma Deyalsingh, and deputy dean of clinical services at the University of the West Indies Dr Sandra Dean.

Deyalsingh said, “Their report, based on their visit, showed absolutely no need for relocation, so I am at a loss to find out where Senator Mark got these reports that there’s overcrowding and there’s a need for relocation.

“Based on this report by an independent tribunal, based on the statistics I have given, showing a 4.7 decrease in the population, I am at a loss to understand where Senator Mark got his information from.”

Mark said: “Given the fact that he’s at a loss...”

Deyalsingh began: “No, you...”

Mark said, “No you are lost. You will lose St Joseph, you know?”

Senate Vice President Nigel De Freitas interjected, “Okay, Senator Mark.”

Deyalsingh suggested, “Come and fight meh, nah. Come.”

After the laughter died down, De Freitas said he wanted to reassure the population that nobody would be fighting anybody in the Senate

Mark asked if Deyalsingh would be willing to make a copy of the report available to Parliament and he responded that once he had cleared it with the CMO and the legal department he would have no problem doing so.

Comments

"Fewer psychiatric patients at SFGH"

More in this section