The Health Authority of Anguilla has now achieved accreditation of its health services, an aim it has been working towards some months following its inception.

L-R: Dexter James, Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks and Minister Evans Rogers with Accreditation Certificates

The achievement was announced with a measure of pride on Wednesday this week by Chief Executive Officer, Dexter James, at the Operational Review for 2006 and the presentation of the programme of activities for 2007 held at Paradise Cove.
The island’s health services were accredited by the Canadian Council for the Accreditation of Health Services which has regularly been assessing the work of the authority.

Mr. James said the objectives of the accreditation, among other things, provided a basis for ensuring minimum standards of care bench-marked against international standards; and to serve as a fillip for continuous quality improvements as well as a basis for promoting organisational change.

Officials of Government and Health Authority

Chairperson of the Health Authority, Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks, said that the organisation began its fourth year in January 2007 having overcome many frustrations and challenges as well as successes along the way. She described the setting up of the authority as a bold step by Anguilla and said that without the foresight and tenacity of the then Minister of Health, Eric Reid, this island, like the rest of the Caribbean, might still have been just talking about health sector reform.

Dr. Fleming-Banks made the point that the Anguilla model was now seen as the best practice of health sector reform and PAHO had engaged the Health Authority to facilitate pilot projects in health services accreditation for a number of other Caribbean islands. “After two and a half years, Anguilla has become the first OECS territory to be awarded the prestigious health system accreditation by the Canadian Council of Health Services Accreditation Award. She added that it took a lot of hard work and dedication to ensure that the standards and policies were completed and implemented.

Health Authority Administration Officials

Minister of Social Development, Evans Rogers, thanked everyone for their commitment and dedication. He noted that there was still much work to be done and that the challenge of continuous accreditation was a very daunting one. He emphasised that there was a need to educate the public about what accreditation meant with regard to the health services.

Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming, who was a patient at the hospital, commended the health care workers for their good services which he had experienced. “Anguilla is a model in the region,” Mr. Fleming boasted. “This initiative that has been taken by the Health Authority is the envy of every English-speaking country in the region, and other countries in the region are latching on to what we have here.”

Dr. Lindell Brooks (left) receiving Award for the Dental Unit

Minister of Finance, Victor Banks, saluted Mr. Reid for his courage to decide that the Health Authority was the way Anguilla should go and for having been a part of the success story. He was grateful to all the original and present members of the Health Authority Board and other personnel for undertaking the difficult task before them.

Minister of Infrastructure, Kenneth Harrigan, also joined in congratulating all who were concerned with the establishment of the Health Authority and for their continued service.

Award for the Princess Alexandra Hospital

Certificates of Accreditation were presented to the hospital administration personnel and to the heads of each of the departments.

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