QEH Management to Enhance Communication with Patients to Address Long Wait Times in the Emergency Department

QEH management instructed to improve communication with patients

he senior minister responsible for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Dr Sonia Browne, has admitted that patients have had to wait as long as 30 hours in the Accident and Emergency Department (AED).

And she has indicated that measures will soon be in place to improve wait times and service delivery, while the hospital’s administration has been mandated to improve their communication with patients, particularly those experiencing long waits.

Dr Browne, who is the Acting Minister of Health, acknowledged that the QEH has been failing to communicate with patients in a timely manner during their stay in the AED.

She made the comments in a statement issued on Monday against the backdrop of persistent complaints from members of the public about the length of time people seeking medical treatment had to wait in the department, with some people claiming as many as two days.

“Over the weekend, there’s been a surge in the number of patients presenting to the Accident and Emergency Department for treatment, resulting in many complaints about long waiting times in recent days.

“I first want to sincerely apologise to those people who have experienced long wait times in AED and those with whom we have failed to communicate in a timely manner during their stay. This is an issue to which I have given priority and QEH management has been tasked to improve the lines of communication between our AED medical teams and the patients in their care,” Dr Browne said, adding that a check on Monday afternoon revealed that the longest wait time in the department “is regrettably 30 hours.”

The substantive Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness with responsibility for the QEH gave the assurance that she will continue to work with the entire AED healthcare team to improve waiting times and, by extension, care for patients in the department.

“Phase Three of the AED expansion plan is underway. The electrical infrastructure to support the upgrade was done over the weekend and this final phase of the build is expected to be complete by year-end. That will allow for an increase in the number of beds available in the department from 27 to 40. This means more space for patients to be seen and treated,” she said.

“Delays in providing CT scan results have also been a factor that has led to an increase in waiting times in the department. The good news is the QEH has acquired three additional CT scan machines which are on island and will be operational soon. This will help to reduce the wait time for test results and, by extension, waiting time in AED.”