The Health Authority of Anguilla is in the process of seeking accreditation for the provision of health services on the island. Chairperson of the autonomous body, Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks, said such an achievement would not only be useful in terms of international recognition and fitting within the context of the national and regional development of the organisation, but its actual success in moving forward to some important targets.

Officials of the Health Authority Board and staff members in the Medical and Health Services

“The fact that we are here at this time with real living bodies from the Council of Health Services Accreditation in Canada means that it is all about serious business as we continue to move towards our goals,” she emphasised.

Dr. Fleming-Banks was speaking on Monday this week at the opening of a meeting of Board of Directors of the Health Authority and senior managers in the various departments with a two-member team from the Canadian Council for Health Services Accreditation. The meeting was held at the training room of the National Bank of Anguilla and the visiting officials were the Associate Executive Director, Gilles Lanteigne, and Paula Greco, Manager, Research and Development.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development, Foster Rogers, joined Dr. Fleming-Banks in noting that the Health Authority had only been launched six months ago but there had already been a change in the health services. He spoke of participating in a study tour of health services institutions in a number of Caribbean islands, Canada and Bermuda. He said his team was impressed with the standard of two hospitals in Bermuda which had been accredited by the Canadian organisation and thought that it would be great if Anguilla was part of a system where periodically the health services were examined. He was grateful to Mr. Lanteigne and Ms Greco for responding so quickly to Anguilla’s request for their services.

Officials of the Health Authority Board and staff members in the Medical and Health Services

Chief Executive Director of the Health Authority of Anguilla, Dexter James, gave a comprehensive overview of the organisation, its background, establishment, structure, strategic direction, budget, services and other pertinent information. He said the Authority had received from the Ministry of Health this year EC$11.175 million, although its budget was EC$13.175 million and that it was anticipated that the organisation would collect at least two million dollars in fees. He gave the budget for the capital programme for the year as being EC$375,000 also from the Ministry of Health.

Speaking on the issue of accreditation, Mr. James said that the process would bring sustainability to the health system.

In their presentations, Mr. Lanteigne and Ms Greco outlined the various benefits of accreditation. “It is a framework for keeping your organisation on track with your stated mission, vision and objectives,” they explained. Accreditation “helps to improve the quality of health servives and care, effective self-assessment and impoves communication and collaboration within the organisation. It shows commitment to quality, promotes team building; educational process for all staff, increases credibility and helps demonstrate accountability.”

Their visit included tours of health services facilities on the island.

Officials of the Health Authority Board and staff members in the Medical and Health Services

The Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation was established in 1958. It is an independent, non-profit, non-government and voluntary organisation linked with international bodies.It sets standards and accreditation programmes for all health care sectors; and helps organisations and systems across Canada to examine the services and programmes they offer to clients. It accreditated 877 organisations in 2003.

L-R: Foster Rogers, Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks, Ms. Greco, Mr. Lanteigne and Mr. Dexter James

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