Corporate partnerships are key

Acting Hospital Director of the Psychiatric Hospital, Heather Payne-Drakes, hopes to see a partnership develop between that facility and corporate Barbados, so that it could expand the services delivered to patients.

She made this comment during a visit yesterday by the Acting Governor General, His Excellency Sir Philip Greaves, who made his Christmas rounds to the Psychiatric Hospital.

“We hope that in the not-too-distant future we can engage our corporate and business sectors in coming up with innovative strategies to expand the delivery of mental health services in Barbados,” she said.

“In doing so, we want to ensure that the delivery of mental healthcare is not hindered by barriers such as stigma and discrimination. This is vitally essential in light of documented trends which predict that one in four adults and one in ten children are likely to have a mental health problem in any given year.”

She noted that such high incident rates could have a profound impact on our lives and the lives of our families and friends, thus the need for appropriate care in appropriate settings.

She went on to note that she was proud of the achievements of the hospital through the delivery of mental healthcare services to the Barbadian public.

“This progress has been made possible through the provision of a comprehensive range of clinical services that not only ensure the provision of medical and nursing care, but offers clients the social and rehabilitative services necessary for their rehabilitation and reintegration into the community. These services include occupational and recreational therapy, psychology, drug rehabilitation and social work,” she said.

“In addition to providing residential care in the hospital, patients receive follow-up care in our out-patient facility and in each of the nine polyclinics which are strategically located to provide primary healthcare to the entire Barbadian population.”

The Acting Hospital Director believes that providing services in the nine polyclinics across Barbados is critical as it serves to identify, treat and manage illness at its earliest stage and, in so doing, prevents progression and complications that can only be managed within the confines of the hospital.