The Health Minister speaking during the Tuesday, Septemeber 22, 2020, sitting of the House of Assembly (HoA) said that the accreditation now marks a turning point for the delivery of health services in the territory.

Accreditation came from hard work & dedication – Hon Malone

“The BVIHSA… after much hard work by the team over several years and culminating under the dedicated leadership of Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ronald Georges, has achieved full accreditation with the accrediting body DNV-GL (Det Norske Veritas (Norway) and Germanischer Lloyd (Germany)).”

As such, the Dr D. Orlado Smith Hospital is now the first hospital in the Caribbean region to be accredited by the DNV-GL, a body that accredits over 635 hospitals in the United States of America and 15 hospitals across Brazil, China, Iceland, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Thailand, the Health Minister said.

“For those who may ask what does achieving accreditation mean for the BVI, it signifies that as a Government we have chosen to pursue a commitment to excellence in health care that will help us to build more confidence among our population, attract more patients, enhance and promote safe and high-quality care for the people of the BVI.”

Hon Malone said through the distinction, the BVIHSA has now demonstrated its ability and commitment to providing health care that has been evaluated against global standards.

Health Minister, Hon Carvin Maline speaking during the Tuesday, Septemeber 22, 2020, sitting of the House of Assembly (HoA) said that the accreditation now marks a turning point for the delivery of health services in the territory.

Years in the making

“International accreditation has been a long-held objective of the Ministry of Health which has, in fact, spanned at least four administrations. The facilities of the New Peebles Hospital were designed with accreditation standards in mind, significant financial investments have been made, and the recent award of an Accreditation Certificate is a result of many years of hard work by our teams,” he said.

Hon Malone said the DNV program was chosen because it is more supportive and consistent with the BVI Health Services Authority’s long-term commitment to patient safety and total quality.