Health & Wellness
Help your heart by making healthier food choices.
Excess weight puts a strain on your heart.
Avoid high blood pressure.
Relax and reduce your stress levels.
Try to exercise regularly.
You should try to give up smoking.
Patient Infomation
The world we live in
- The customer has rising expectations
- Greater access / exposure to information (television, internet, newspapers etc)
- The customer expects international standards when seeking medical care.
The way forward
- The Ministry of Health realizes that we must provide the customer with quality health care.
- Patients have rights that they must be made aware of and educated about. Additionally, patients have an obligation to provide information to the health care provider.
- Health care providers have a responsibility to educate the internal and external customer.
- The Patient's Charter relates directly to two standards from the Ministry of Health's "Accreditation Standards for the Health Sector." The standards are: Patients and Family Rights (PFR) and Patients and Family Education ( PFE ).
- Projects can stem out of the Patient's Charter of Rights and Obligations for staff members.
- A process improvement team can focus on an aspect of PFR or PFE standards and formulate a project.
Introduction to the Charter
The Ministry of Health has committed itself to the provision of quality healthcare for all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. The Patient's Charter of Rights and Obligations is an indication of national standards for the delivery of healthcare. This will impact on the quality of services and the efficiency of health care system. According to the Ministry of Health, this document entitles all persons equal access to a high standard of care and projects every patient’s civil and religious freedoms.
The Complaints System
Who can complain?
Anyone who is not satisfied with the quality of health care service at any public or private health care facility can lodge a complaint.
To whom can complaints be made?
The Customer Relations Officer, located at the public hospital is responsible for handling complaints.
If you have a complaint about services at the Public Health Centre, you can contact the Primary Care Quality Co-ordinator at the Quality Department of the Regional Health Authority.
If the complaint is about service received at a Private, Hospital or Nursing Home - contact the office of the Chief Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health (627 - 0010/0012).
How to lodge your complaint?
There are three (3) ways to lodge a complaint:
- By telephone
- In person or
- In writing to the Customer Relations Officer/Representative.
The Customer Relations Officer at the Quality Improvement Department will investigate the complaint and you will be informed of the outcome.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, the Customer Relations Officer will forward your complaint to the Quality Co-ordinator of the facility for resolution.
ALL COMPLAINTS ARE TREATED WITH THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE.
THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS OFFICER KEEPS THE RECORDS SECURELY FOR INVESTIGATION PURPOSES.
How to contact your Customer Relations Officer
South West Regional Health Authority
San Fernando General Hospital
652-3581/6 ext. 246
