Ambulance services resume after staffing disruption
Emergency ambulance services have resumed at the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) following a temporary disruption caused by staff shortages and illness.
The Authority announced on Tuesday, September 1, that Emergency Medical Services (EMS) coverage from the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital was temporarily unavailable while it addressed the staffing situation.
BVIHSA said it was coordinating its available resources and exploring measures to restore coverage as quickly as possible.
“BVIHSA recognises the importance of EMS to the community and understands the concern this temporary disruption may cause. We are working urgently to resolve the situation and restore normal EMS operations,” the Authority stated.
In a subsequent notice issued later that day, BVIHSA advised that emergency medical services were again available. It said the Road Town Fire Department would assist EMS personnel with emergency calls as a temporary measure to maintain emergency response coverage.
The Authority also announced that its evening and night shifts would resume operations from the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital.
BVIHSA reminded residents to call 911 when facing a medical emergency. It said emergency response personnel would be dispatched as required.
The disruption follows previous concerns about staffing and equipment within the territory’s ambulance service. In March 2024, Health Minister Vincent Wheatley told the House of Assembly that the BVIHSA had recorded an average ambulance response time of approximately eight minutes during the preceding year, although some responses took longer.
Wheatley said a review identified staffing limitations and an ageing ambulance fleet as factors affecting the service. He reported that five employees had been recruited and that additional personnel were receiving training.
The following month, BVIHSA added two ambulances to its fleet. The Health Ministry funded one vehicle, while the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda donated the other for use on Virgin Gorda.
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Dr. DOSH has to be funded as a charity while our dirty HOA13 and friends get rich.
They can’t hire anymore people because there isn’t any money. Of course there isn’t any because our politicians gave themselves undeserving raises. 100k to a guy thats not gonna be reelected. Maybe that was the plan because their pension is well above our monthly salaries.Having to transfer ambulances from Tortola to Virgin Gorda because they don’t have any but government officials change cars ever 5 yrs because their old
Back of a pickup truck worked fine for years
Thats old picture,not true the head need to have a meeting with the staff hear them out and not making any empty promises