Interim Report Submitted to Minister

The interim report for the establishment of a Health Authority in Anguilla was presented to the Minister of Social Development, Eric Reid, on Monday December 2. The presentation was made by Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks, Chairperson of the Health Authority Project Board set up at the request of the Government almost two years ago.

Health Planner and member of the Board, Foster Rogers, said the work was being wrapped up but the 15-member Board was still in the process of having consultations with the public and medical and health staff. He explained that early next year short consultations would focus on such matters as regulations, financial systems and the National Health Plan.

Dr. Fleming-Banks said five sub-committees had been set up to handle the various components of the work as follows: Deputy Chairman of the Board Stanley Mussington headed the Health Systems Sub-committee; Rhona Richardson, Special Assistant in the Ministry of Health - Public Relations and Communications Sub-committee; Colville Petty – Human Resource Sub-committee; Timothy Hodge- Finance Sub-committee; and Alex Richardson – Legal Sub-committee. Foster Rogers served on all sub-committees as the Government’s Liaison Officer, Project Manager and Secretary to the Board. The other Board members who gave value assistance were Calvert Carty, Dr. Brett Hodge, Meredith Gumbs, Monique Rey, Violet Richardson, Ann Gumbs, Dr. Lowell Hughes and Dr. Franklin Lloyd.

She was grateful to all the Board members for their hard work which had brought the project to this stage. The documents she presented to Mr. Reid included the Human Resource Job Descriptions; Policies and Procedures, Patients Bill of Rights and Administrative Procedures.
In accepting the interim report, Mr. Reid commended the sub-committees for their work. He noted that there were criticisms that the membership of the Health Authority Project Board was too large and therefore would not function. He pointed out that he always had the confidence that the members were committed to seeing something done about the health services in Anguilla and would therefore do everything possible to ensure that their work reached a point where a Health Authority could be implemented.

“I thank you Madam Chairperson and the members of the Health Authority Project Board for all that you have done so that we could reach this far,” the Minister told Dr. Fleming-Banks. “It is now up to us to take the report forward and do what we have to do to make the Health Authority a reality.”

At present, the island’s health services are divided into two departments – Primary and Secondary Health Care. Under the new system it will have six divisions with a Board of seven members. The Chief Executive Officer who will report to the Board, will have overall responsibility for the management and operations of the Anguilla Health Authority.

“There will no longer be a management from the Ministry of Health, Finance or Public Health Administration. The seven-member Board of Governors will direct the management and operations of the divisions of the Anguilla Health Authority,” Health Planner Rogers said.

The implementation of the Health Authority, will be phased in over the next few months beginning January 2003.

Minister of Social Development, Hon. Eric Reid (4th from left) with members of the Health Authority Project Board

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