SWRHA to reconsider moving psychiatric clinic at Pt Fortin Hospital

AFTER public backlash over keeping the Point Fortin psychiatric outpatient clinic at the old building, while all other departments moved to the new one, South-West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) CEO Dr Brian Armour says the authority will reconsider the decision.

The new $1.2 billion hospital at the corner of Techier Road and the Point Fortin Main Road was opened by the Prime Minister in July 2020. Last Monday, SWRHA announced the new building was now "100 per cent operational," as all departments, including accident and emergency, had moved.

But this was not the case.

The psychiatric outpatient clinic remains at the old building at Volunteer Road, Mahaica, which caused confusion among patients.

That clinic is held on the first and third Thursday of each month. Although the pharmacy is also at the new facility, medication is provided for these patients at the old building on their clinic days.

Asked last week why this was the only clinic to remain, a SWRHA official who refused to be named told Newsday, "Mentally challenged people are more difficult to manage," and need more space.

The official said, "When we had initially looked at the services to be moved, we decided that since the area hospital at Point Fortin is still has a slate of services it can offer and the facility is in a state where it could still accommodate patients, we would keep that clinic there."

But Armour had a different position when he spoketo Newsday at the launch of the authority's culinary medicine food park at the San Fernando General Hospital on Wednesday afternoon.

"We look at all aspects of patient care. So yes, at the new hospital, you have a psychiatric inpatient ward and we do have an outpatient clinic area.

"But we also have a policy that speaks to giving mental health more decentralisation in terms of the approach. To afford the psychiatric clinics, based on our disease burden there, there are fairly large numbers."

He said he noted the "issues raised in the public domain" after Newsday's article highlighting the decision and feedback from patients. He said the initial intent was to actually "have the area hospital converted into a wellness centre. That should provide more holistic care to psychiatric patients."

He said the building will not remain in its current condition and will be upgraded.

"So even if that comes in the medium term, that is okay. We are looking at the decision made, based on the comments, to see if, in the short term, the new hospital can be used."