According to the display displayed at the Music for Montserrat anniversary celebration on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, construction of a new national hospital for the island will begin in November 2023, with a September 2025 opening.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health & Social Services Camille Thomas-Gerald confirmed that Article 25, the agency contracted to deliver the final designs has been on the ground in October to present the latest concepts for Montserrat’s new hospital.
According to the plan, Article 25 will complete the designs by April 2023. From May to September 2023, the plan calls for the refitting and movement of hospital operations to what is now the Margetson Memorial Home for the elderly.
This is to be followed by the demolition of the Glendon Hospital complex in time for a November 2023 construction start date.
Construction of a new hospital facility is only one aspect of the project.
The plan is for a transformation of the health service, the presentation noted. “A prioritized strategy to redesign care services and incorporate technology in a way that creates a learning health system that generates knowledge to improve population health and operational accountability”.
This includes strengthening of the health workforce, introduction of life-safety critical equipment, a health finance report, the establishment of an essential basket of services, and new Training and Protocol Implementation on Quality, Safety and Patient Experience.
Elements of the project have already begun with the deployment of a Health Information System across secondary and primary care centres.
The Glendon Hospital was a school before it was converted to the island’s main medical facility following the start of volcanic eruptions.
Funding is being provided from the FCDO through CIPREG, – Capital Investment Programme for Resilient Economic Growth – a five-year programme from 2018 to 2023. Under the programme, Montserrat has benefitted from the reconnection of fibre optic cables to the island, the resurfacing of the airport runway and the recently launched port development at Little Bay. Other projects include a new airport tower, refurbishment of Blocks L & M at the Montserrat Secondary School and the sewage upgrades in Drummonds and Davy Hill.
