The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has turned a page on decades of neighbours’ complaints of smoke emissions from its incinerator, with chief executive Neil Clark hailing the arrival of a cleaner waste-management system amid a wave of multi-million-dollar upgrades.
The new waste management system marks “the end of the incinerator pushing out smoke into the community”, Clark said on Monday.
Appearing on the hospital’s Pulse Radio Show to talk about the hospital’s new three-year strategic plan, Clark described the shift as one of the most symbolic changes so far.
For years, residents in the surrounding areas downwind of the hospital complained about the smoke and odour coming from the incinerator. Repairs were last carried out in 2018, and by 2023 its operating schedule had been reduced to Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, along with the installation of after-burners intended to provide a cleaner burn and significantly cut the level of smoke expelled.
Clark said it has been “an amazing first year” of the three-year strategy, with no intention of slowing down: “I don’t think there’s too much happening. We’re a big team, we’re a strong team, and we can deliver all these different elements.”
He revealed that roughly $130 million in capital projects are underway, with about $65 million already available. Among the upgrades are new clinical equipment, including the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and linear accelerator machines, improvements to the Lion’s Eye Care Centre, expanded workshops, upgrades to the morgue, and the Maria Holder Foundation’s support for a new rehabilitation centre.
The Enmore development across the road, which will see a bridge connecting the main building to a satellite facility is also progressing, he said.
Another major transformation is coming through the hospital’s new health information system, which Clark described as “a game changer… it’ll make [care] much more efficient and much more seamless, and it’ll provide the data to us much faster to see where we need to work and improve things”.
Work continues behind the scenes to tighten financial and administrative systems — from inventory management to payroll — along with ongoing staffing improvements, he added.
The hospital chief told the programme he hopes to be back “next year” with updates on plans for the QEH sports field and the introduction of VIP health checks for all staff, a move he says keeps everyone healthier and benefits the entire hospital team.
The hospital will again open its doors to the public early next year for a town hall meeting. Last year’s session gave Barbadians the chance to fully understand the three-year strategy, said communications specialist Shane Sealy. Clark said they also used the meeting to “consult them about ‘have we got the strategy right? Is this what you want?’”
The public didn’t hold back, Sealy noted. “They give their input as well.”
Clark confirmed those suggestions shaped the plan going forward: “We changed the strategy after that meeting to add elements they brought to the table. So it’s our strategy, as we say the QEH strategy, it’s actually the Barbados strategy.”
Residents will again be able to hear what has been achieved, what is underway, and what is coming next as the hospital moves into 2026. After the town hall, Sealy said, the Pulse Radio Show will return for season five, using the platform to share the latest updates directly with the public.
(LE)
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