SJH Addresses Challenges Amid Surge In Emergency Admissions

Following a surge in emergency department admissions, Health Ministry officials met in the south to address the challenges at St. Jude Hospital (SJH). The discussions aimed to develop a plan to manage patient care and relieve strain on the hospital’s resources. SJH Chief Executive Officer Lydia Atkins highlighted the significant impact the surge has had on resources and staff. “Over the last week, we’ve seen an unprecedented surge of patients in our emergency department. This has placed significant pressure on our staff,” Atkins said. “Today, we met with the emergency department team to document the issues, discuss the problems we’ve observed, and most importantly, arrive at a sustainable solution.” The team is also meeting with officials from the Ministry of Health to discuss strategies to address the surge and the increased need for additional beds and staff. Dr. Sharon Belmar-George, Chief Medical Officer, emphasised the importance of the ministry’s proactive involvement on-site. “We’ve come to meet with the CEO and the clinical team at St. Jude Hospital to better understand the urgent issues affecting patient care,” Belmar-George said. “While we’ve been having discussions with them, we felt it was essential to be on the ground to assess the situation accurately...