The National Mental Health Commission, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, invites public feedback and comments on the Draft Mental Health Legislative Notes. Learn More

Press Releases

  1. News & Information
  2. Press Releases

Plans To Strengthen Primary Care & Ease Pressure On QEH

Government is advancing a series of reforms aimed at improving access to healthcare services across Barbados, while reducing pressure on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).

These measures were outlined by Minister of Health and Wellness, Senator Lisa Cummins, during a recent episode of In Focus, the monthly live panel discussion hosted by the Barbados Government Information Service.

The discussion also featured QEH Chief Executive Officer, Neil Clarke, and Head of the Accident and Emergency Department, Dr. Anne-Marie Cruickshank.

Minister Cummins highlighted Government’s ongoing investment in primary healthcare infrastructure, noting that significant upgrades are planned for polyclinics across the island.

“The Government has announced, under my predecessor, the rehabilitation, and the new building of nine polyclinics – seven will be rehabilitated, [and] two completely new builds. Building new infrastructure is one thing, ensuring that the new infrastructure is fit for purpose is the main thing. So, what we’re doing now is looking at what laboratory services need to be in those polyclinics that will make persons have access to X-rays, CT scans, those kinds of things, not having all of it come to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital,” she outlined.

The Health Minister added that expanding services at the community level and strengthening care beyond hospital walls is a key strategy in reducing congestion at the island’s state-owned hospital.

“Step-down care in the communities and at homes for families is one of the things that at a policy level we’re looking at. So, it’s the entire process from start to finish and making a complete circle to support families, because really what this has to be about is the people at the centre of the health care system,” Senator Cummins opined.

She also pointed to ongoing efforts to expand partnerships and services across the health sector and indicated that further updates are to be expected following ongoing discussions with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and her Ministry. These plans will focus on preventative care, maternal and child health, elder care, climate and health, emergency care, and overall health system integration.

“While we look at the big picture wins – new hospital, new polyclinics – what we can give to people in the interim, that’s what we are focusing on,” the Health Minister affirmed.

Meanwhile, CEO Clarke outlined targeted measures to improve patient flow and reduce waiting times in the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department, which currently sees approximately 60 to 80 patients daily, supported by five to six doctors per shift, along with nursing and support staff.

“We’ve got an improvement plan that shows how we plan to tackle, in this particular area, the A&E wait times. We can say that we expect to see improvements in the next six to 12 months. We’ve seen very slight improvements already, but with the number of initiatives that we’ve got rolling out, both within the A&E Department and within the wards, that are starting to take traction, we are going to see some movements….

“They’re still the low-hanging fruit within the hospital – there are still efficiencies that we can make within the hospital on how we manage patients through the wards. So, the areas that we are trying to streamline and improve the flow for is something we are working hard to do … that will no doubt feed back to the A&E waiting times,” the QEH head explained.

Some of the additional enhancements discussed were expanding access to prescription refills at polyclinics and strengthening community nursing services to better support patients outside the hospital setting. The initiatives form part of a broader effort to modernise Barbados’ healthcare system, improve patient outcomes, and ensure more efficient delivery of care across all levels.

Author: Sharifa Medford

Published: April 21, 2026

Need Urgent Assistance?

Visit our Contact Directory

Contact Us Now