With the completion date for the New Peebles Hospital set for sometime next year, a consultancy firm has now been recruited to help enhance the services to be delivered by the new hospital and to ensure a smooth transition from the current location into the new building.
While there is still a suspension order on the mechanical, electrical and plumbing works of the new hospital, Government signed a contract with InterHealth Canada last Wednesday which will cover a range of consultancy services that will be provided by the firm from now until the hospital is fully completed.

Petrona Davies, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Development said the Ministry recognised the need for a fulltime dedicated consultancy service. Davies noted that the commissioning firm will work directly with the BVI Health Services Authority, as well as a key management team and ministry officials.

She explained that InterHealth Canada is a global health care management firm that specializes in the development and management of healthcare facilities and projects. She further noted that the company has considerable experience at commissioning and operating hospitals in several countries around the world including The National Health Service in the United Kingdom, the Royal Health Hospital in Kuwait. The firm is also involved with two hospitals on the Turks and Caicos Islands.
In addition, InterHealth also has affiliation with international accreditation agencies including Accreditation Canada, the Health Care Commission of the United States and the accreditation body of the United Kingdom.

Assurances

Dr. Eric Parsons, Medical Director of InterHealth Canada, said the company is delighted to be able to be involved in the further development and commissioning of the new Peebles Hospital.
Dr. Parsons assured that InterHealth, which has been involved in various projects, always includes a commitment within the project that the services that will be delivered from the hospitals can meet or exceed international accreditation standards. 
“Talk about commissioning of a hospital is a short term project that normally occurs when the building is complete and someone comes in and make sure the building is up to standard, the equipment is installed correctly and works, and [the hospital is] ready to open its doors to patients,” Dr. Parsons stated.

InterHealth also hopes to improve the service that will be delivered by the hospital.
“…  We are looking at not only opening a hospital but we intend on changing the pattern of service, we intend on changing the model of care that will be delivered at the hospital when it opens in 2011. We want to provide a level of service that meets accreditation standard. Therefore, we have to be involved much earlier on in the development of the service. That means we have to be involved in looking at the staff, staff education, training in the decision on what equipment needs to be purchased, and the procurement of equipment,” explained Dr. Parsons.
The entire commissioning process will be done in three phases with the first step being to conduct a Community Needs Analysis which is expected to start next week.
“We have a very big building and we want to be sure at this stage [that] when that hospital opens, it opens with the appropriate number of beds and appropriate number of staff to meet the needs of the community,” Dr Parsons explained.

Dr. Parsons further stated that where the staff of the hospital does not meet the competencies that are required, InterHealth will bring its staff to train the staff here to a level that will meet the required international standards.
With the contract set to run for 14 months, he explained that the actual commissioning will take place after the contractor hands over the building to the Ministry which will be about four months before the actual opening.
“We will test the mechanical things within the building to make sure they are up to scratch, test all equipment, assure staff is up to date and prepared,” he explained.

Expectations
In endorsing InterHealth Canada as the consultancy firm for the new hospital, Premier Ralph T. O’Neal said the signing of the commissioning agreement is another step in the journey towards the completion of the new hospital.
“In signing this contract with InterHealth Canada, we believe that they will assist us greatly in commissioning the Peebles Hospital so that when it is opened we will be in a position to offer the people of the territory and visitors a very good service, first class service. And we hope that our hopes and expectations will be granted,” said the Premier.
Minister for Health and Social Development, Dancia Penn-Sallah, said it was not an easy decision for her to have InterHealth Canada on board.  According to the Minister, in July last year, she had taken a proposal to cabinet to retain the services of InterHealth Canada, but did not succeed.
In addition to the commissioning of the hospital, the health minister noted that having the hospital accredited is of high importance and InterHealth is committed to this task.
The health minister said she is confident that InterHealth will do a good job.
She firmly restated that construction work on the new hospital continues; only the mechanical, electrical and plumbing work at the hospital has been suspended since late last year.
She assured the media that the ministry is currently in the process of working through all the details with the contractor, and she will inform the media when works are ready to resume.

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