Plans in motion to split Public Health from HSA
(CNS): The Ministry of Health and Wellness is developing a business case to examine the process of separating the Public Health Department from the Health Services Authority to help promote a healthier community. Health Minister Sabrina Turner said at a press briefing on Wednesday that public health extends far beyond managing communicable diseases like the recent COVID-19 pandemic and is central to everyone’s well-being. She said public health was also about pro-active healthcare, mental health and the prevention of non-communicable diseases.
These diseases have a significant impact in Cayman but the health professionals do not have the data needed to understand the prevalence, profile and demographics of medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension or cancer. Having an independent Public Health Department will help to improve data collection to get a better understanding of the general health of the public and what needs to be done to prevent people from getting ill or ensure they are treated as soon as possible.
At the press briefing, the minister said she firmly believes that Cayman will experience further pandemics in the future or communicable diseases that need to be managed and a separate PHD will help manage many other elements of the country’s health care needs.
Expanding and enhancing Public Health will also see the ministry invest in data collection as information is key to public health education, Turner said. In addition to appointing Dr Nick Gent, a UK public health expert, as the new chief medical officer, the ministry also appointed Rachel Corbett earlier this year to be the national epidemiologist to help with this new focus on data.
Chief Officer Nellie Pouchie said that Corbett will play an integral part in the collection of key information and analysis to help shape awareness and education campaigns. Corbett said that next year the PHD will embark on a survey to better understand some of the unanswered questions here about people’s health.
Dr Autalia Newton, the interim CMO, explained that right now the health ministry can’t even answer some of the most simple questions, like how many people in Cayman have diabetes. She said the motivation for separating Public Health from the HSA was because the department is currently within a health service provider, limiting the accessibility it has and its reach to the community as a whole, as well as an understanding of the wider health concerns. “Public health works at its best when it is independent,” she said.
The minister said the separation seems an obvious step on the path towards more preventative healthcare, but the details of how it will happen will be analysed during the business case process. Part of that process will look at costs, staffing and how the department will reshape as an independent entity within the ministry. “The business case will indicate what we need to do,” she said.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Health, Medical Health
Proactive suggestion: free condoms. Labelled as such by HSA. Paid for by NAU savings.
About time
More rubbish!
well that should keep a bunch of civil servants busy for the next 6 months…zzzzzz….imagine if they did something which would make a difference?
The Business Case for this is excellent. One more Authority means that there will be a need for an additional Minister in Parliament to oversee all of these diverse businesses. Government will have to hire more CFOs and Chief Officers, thus providing jobs for school leavers. Public Health will have to build clinics in each District next to the HSA clinics, because we can have people getting preventative care at the same location people are receiving treatment. Public Works will need more staff to maintain the new buildings. This is a win/win anyway you look at it. Another stroke of brilliance from Sabrina just when we thought she couldn’t get any smarter.
If Rachel Corbett is our data guru just send her down to KFC or Popeye’s and count the over feed and damn near dead customers that waddle in. That would give her a very good indication of obesity and diabetes in Cayman. Also, Isn’t Chief Officer Nellie Pouchie the same gal who couldn’t fix the pharmacy as her staff was so overwhelmed during Covid? Sabrina, how’s that fix coming alongš¤š¤š¤
public health and environmental health go together
Excellent move!! Public Health is vital to keeping our community protected and having this agency at a national level is very important! Well done Minister Turner! #Visonary
Shut down all SAGC’s and return them to the civil service.
Not one SAGCS has achieved anything other than increase costs since leaving the civil service. Politically appointed private sector boards simply don’t work.
We can start with awfulreg and NRA.
7:07, Can’t wait for Off Regs new Consumer Protection Board that comprises of Supermarkets owners, gas station owners, CUC staff, DART and anyone else that does the complete opposite to protecting its consumers…..
CIG also needs to stop price fixing of pharmaceutical products. Importation of drugs meant for domestic Indian market which are them sold to us at US market prices violates international agreements on IP protection.
World Class Civil Service would rather look the other wayā¦.
The phrase ārearranging the deck chairsā¦ā immediately came to mind. An important question is which real public health service will they ride piggyback on. Canada would be better than UK.
How about putting a second story on the dental office bringing in a few more dentist so it doesnāt take 6-8 months for an appointment,
…and, the Eye Clinic.
When it takes 6-9 months to secure appointments, make alternative arrangements to attend Dr. Foley Clinic (On-Island) or Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (Miami, FL).
The walls around getting an appointment at Foley’s clinic should be torn down!
The dental Office is staffed and managed by those who would not survive in private practice…service? Patient care?
Hell no!
Tried it once. It was filthy and the staff incompetent.
I’ve been in private practice ever since! Fortunately plenty of choice on this island.
Oooh, fun. Sounds expensive.
Dont we have ESO for data collection?
But it creates new jobs. More CFOs, more HR Managers etc.
Why is the health service even an ‘authority’?
Why do we need health services when we have God?
Because your god gives children cancer and someone has to fix it for all our sakes.
My god is better than your god
Try to stay on topic
That’s funny right there.
It’s easy to help people help themselves with a healthy lifestyle. Remove taxes on healthy foods, increase taxes on unhealthy foods, smoking and alcohol products.
Have affordable and island wide exercise and activity options such as free seniors pool fitness sessions, free or almost free group fitness classes regularly in the community centres. For the older people, a great way to stay fit but also to get out of the house and be social too. Loneliness and lack of affordable things to do for our seniors is a real problem for them. Free or low cost weight loss support.
All this would pay for itself if the government then doesn’t have to spend as much money on health care for the elderly.
Excellent post. It’s mind blogging how much CIG seem to get things wrong at the expense of residence.
No need for more taxes. Government is making millions on gasoline tax from those people lined up at the KFC drive-through every day.
Agreed. Common Sense approach is to (1) Eat Balanced, Healthy Snacks & Meals; (2) Stay Active: Regular Exercise/Movement; and, (3) Stimulate the Brain & Improve Mental Health with Fun-Filled Activities: Games, Community Engagements, Puzzles, Projects & Meaningful Communication.
Good luck with that, the Ministry canāt even manage what they do now, I canāt see them improving in this area. Will create some nice jobs for a few of our friends from across the pond though š
6.43pm If you want experts in these specialities you are not going to find them in West Bay or Northside.
8.40pm And we don’t want them from Kingston etc.
Mostly hired from ayaad Iām sure. They actively refuse to hire locals even the Covid volunteers were rejected in favor of expaylts including kingstonians.
Thank you Minister Turner about bloody time!