The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) is facing many challenges – from the shortage of some drugs to problems with a lack-of-ventilator support for babies to adequate funding for its operations.
However, one of the most troubling aspects in the minds of Barbadians concerning the island’s main hospital continues to be the waiting times in the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department.
Street Beat spoke to people visiting or working around the hospital on Wednesday to find out what their concerns were. However, many of those who spoke out about the hospital’s problems did not reveal their identities.
One man was particularly vehement. He said it was a regular thing for people to die in the A&E.
“Every day yuh does hear somebody deading. Dem nurses does treat people scruffy, they don’t care ’bout nobody. I went in there a time at 6 a.m with my appendix and was there until 7 a.m the next day; my appendix could have burst. I never went back since, you could dead in dey,” he said.
A young woman also recounted her tale: “I came here two years ago with gastro [gastroenteritis]. I came in at 11 p.m. that night and was there until 6 a.m vomiting. My father said he couldn’t wait any more so he took me to a private doctor and I had to get two and a half bags of drips in my arm. I never went back,” she said.
However, she admitted her brother hardly had trouble being treated or getting his asthma medication as those with that ailment are usually seen quickly.
A young man said he had been to the A&E with his sister who had a hurt hand. He said they stayed from 5 p.m. to past 2 a.m. He said there was a need for more hospitals in Barbados.
Another man said he had never had cause to go to the hospital for treatment which he said he was glad for after hearing the stories.
“I have heard people say they came for an appointment and waited for an hour only to be told the appointment has been rescheduled. To be honest, I never want to go to any hospital. I believe if I can’t take care of myself, then the Father will take care of me,” he said.
Junior Beckles said the service at the QEH was “lackadaisical”.
“There is only one thing you hear about the hospital; the staff is poor and the people don’t get proper attention and I find it the same way – no one pays attention to you,” he said.
Two women who were visiting a friend said they did not have a concern with the service at the hospital generally but realized it was in dire need of a proper cleaning.
One said: “That hospital needs a general cleaning; the stairs and windows are dirty and some of the wards could use some elbow grease. The nurses are okay, the service is okay although some of the guards could do a course in “humanology”, they only seem to know how to deal with one type of person.”
The diagnosis is not one of only negativity, however.
There were some people who were genuinely impressed with the treatment they received at the QEH, people such as Melvina Alleyne-Cope and her daughter Dawn Rollins.
“There are nice people in the hospital; so far no problems. I just left my husband there and he’s being treated very well; the staff is very professional,” said Alleyne-Cope.
Rollins said she was surprised by how much the service had improved at the QEH, saying it was “A1”.
Ann Cadogan said she visited the hospital to get medication for high blood pressure which she said she received without long waits. She admitted the hospital could be a stressful place but she was satisfied.
Wilfred Wilshire is a staple of the area and spends much of his time relaxing on the grounds of the hospital. He blamed people’s impatience and poor diet for much of their own problems.
“I don’t find fault with the attention they give you but some people come from home and want to go back the same time so it’s difficult for them to accept being under observation but it is better than going home only to have to run back.
“We all have to adjust to the problems of this world. Most of the people complaining about medication – it is their own fault for eating the wrong foods and causing themselves to get sick,” he said.