Immediate measures to strengthen patient safety at GPHC – Min Anthony

Immediate measures are being implemented at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to strengthen patient safety and prevent self-harm.

This was highlighted by Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony on the sidelines of an event held at the Eccles Health Centre, East Bank Demerara, on Wednesday.

The decision comes in the wake of two recent incidents at the health facility, in which patients died after reportedly jumping from the window.

Minister Anthony explained that the Ministry of Health has already begun addressing structural vulnerabilities, with a focus on securing windows across the facility while maintaining fire safety requirements.

“I have given specific instructions to the hospital to put temporary barriers on all windows,” the minister stated.

He noted that while a long-term solution is underway to replace windows with more secure designs, temporary barriers will be installed immediately to reduce risk.

According to him, the hospital had already initiated a process to modify windows after the first incident, but that effort has not yet been completed. In the interim, additional safeguards are being introduced.

The minister also pointed out that ongoing repairs to the psychiatric ward have required some patients to be housed in other areas of the hospital, prompting the need for heightened precautions.

Despite patients being placed under suicide watch, he acknowledged that both incidents occurred within brief moments when supervision was interrupted.

He emphasised that the new measures are intended to close those gaps and prevent any recurrence, while expressing regret over the loss of both patients. DPI