The former head of Jamaica’s Bellevue Hospital, the largest psychiatric institution in the Caribbean, has been appointed as director of the new long-term mental health facility in East End, the opening of which has been delayed by another three months.
Marcia Amoy Mullings-Thompson, former chief executive officer at Bellevue, which, according to its website, treats more than 700 patients and has 23 wards, will take up her new post at Cayman’s much smaller 54-patient facility on Monday, 10 July, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has announced.
The $15 million facility, after years of delays, had been slated to open by the end of this month, but government officials said Friday this has been pushed back to 30 Sept.
In the ministry statement, Mullings-Thompson said, “I understand that there is a lot of hope and many expectations around this facility, and I take the responsibility of being accountable not only to the Ministry of Health and Wellness but also to the residents we serve, their families and the community as a whole very seriously.”
She added, “This facility is not intended to stand alone, but rather to help enhance the full suite of mental health services that already exist on island. I am looking forward to developing strong and meaningful relationships with not only these providers but also the advocates and civil society organisations that have their finger on the pulse of the community.”
Other senior management positions at what is now called the ‘Poinciana Residential Mental Health Facility’ remain vacant, and are currently being advertised.
Long delays
The delays in opening the facility, and lack of movement on hiring staff and preparing for the intake of patients, was among the reasons cited by Dr. Marc Lockhart for stepping down as chairman of the Mental Health Commission in January this year.
The groundbreaking at the 15-acre property, on the site of the former Northward prison farm, was carried out in October 2019 after years of delays, with the initial projected finish date of December 2021.
In May 2022, the Compass reported that a shift in government priorities caused by COVID-19, shipping delays and a global product shortage had resulted in a year-long halt to the build.
In April this year, Health Minister Sabrina Turner announced that the facility would be completed by 30 June.
However, the ministry’s statement on Friday noted that the Public Works Department, which is the project manager of the site, advised that “the main facilities, including administration, workshop and cafeteria building are now in the final building inspection phase with some items not yet being cleared; the cottage works and perimeter security system are nearing completion; and the expected handover to the Ministry of Health and Wellness is end of September 2023 and not June 2023 as previously anticipated.”
‘A Trainer of Trainers’
According to a short biography of Poinciana’s incoming director Mullings-Thompson included in the ministry’s statement, she has a master’s degree in mental health/psychiatric nurse practitioner from the University of the West Indies. She has 28 years of experience as a registered nurse, 16 of which she spent in leadership roles in Jamaica’s mental healthcare system as a regional and then national mental health coordinator. During that time, she was seconded to work for two years as CEO of Bellevue Hospital, which has 600 staff.
“She is a Trainer of Trainers in several areas, including disaster-related psychological trauma, mental health support and crisis intervention, psychosocial support and psychological first aid, human rights and ethical issues in mental health, PAHO/WHO [Mental Health Gap Action Programme] intervention, PAHO/WHO Problem Management Plus intervention,” said the ministry in its statement.
Growing mental health concerns on island
Her appointment comes as the government continues to formulate a national plan to address growing mental health concerns in Cayman.
A report released in January by the Mental Health Commission indicates 107 people were admitted to hospital in 2021 after attempting to take their own lives.
Meanwhile, almost 7,000 people on the islands were diagnosed with anxiety or depression that year.
“Mental health and wellness continue to be a priority for my ministry, not only as it pertains to this facility but holistically in strengthening and enhancing the national capacity for and access to mental health services, promotion and prevention,” said Turner in the ministry statement.
Poinciana is expected to fill a major gap in the care of people with mental health issues in Cayman. Currently, the only facility on island for patients with such issues is a dedicated acute care ward at the Cayman Islands Hospital.
The 11-bed unit is designed to treat patients with extreme mental health episodes; however, it is used for a wide variety of purposes, including, at present, a makeshift prison for Travis Webb. Webb was found not guilty by reason of insanity of the attempted murder of a 3-year-old child in 2018. He was held for 20 months at Northward Prison before being transferred to the hospital’s mental health unit in 2020.
Patients from Cayman with serious psychiatric problems, who are unable to get treatment locally, are often sent to the United States or to Jamaica – usually to Bellevue – for treatment.
The need for more comprehensive solution to the care and custody of individuals with mental health issues is one that highlighted in Cayman for decades, before government funding was finally made available that made the construction of the East End site possible.
Minister Turner said that while the completion of that facility “remains under the remit of the Public Works Department, our Ministry team continues to work diligently to mitigate against delays relating to the staffing, forthcoming handover, and upcoming occupancy of the facility.”
She added, “It has been a long road, but we continue to take positive steps forward and I am confident that the finish line is fast approaching in getting the facility ready to receive its first residents.”
Related Videos
The record of Gov’t on projects such as this is abysmal and caused the resignation of Dr Lockhart. Another current example is the “link” road ending on North Church Sy which has been under construction for over 3 years with no sign of when, if ever, it will be completed. If ever Mr Manderson can bring accountability to all civil servants and Govt related entities, these problems will largely be solved.