East End Clinic still closed as chronic staff shortages persist
Minister of Health and Social Development Vincent Wheatley has confirmed that the East End clinic remains closed due to a shortage of adequate staffing.
During Tuesday’s sitting of the House of Assembly, Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn questioned Wheatley on why the Iris Penn Smith Clinic remains closed.
Wheatley attributed the closure primarily to a lack of human resources within the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA), though he also cited financial and physical constraints.
“The Iris Penn Smith Clinic has been closed since January 14, 2025, and remains closed to this day,” Wheatley stated. “The shortage of staff is further compounded by instances of illness or staff departures.”
He explained that between November and January, two nurses resigned, one relocated, and another was hospitalized for an extended period. While the hospitalized nurse has since returned, her capacity remains limited.
Wheatley emphasized that staffing shortages are a widespread issue across the territory.
“The BVIHSA continues to recruit in a highly competitive market, but staffing challenges persist across clinics,” he said.
Additionally, staff are sometimes deployed to the sister islands.
“To maintain services in areas such as Virgin Gorda and ensure 24-hour operations in Anegada, staff are periodically reassigned from Tortola,” he added.
In the meantime, the home visitation programme, designed to assist the elderly, will help offset the clinic’s closure. Wheatley also mentioned plans to consolidate the Iris Penn Smith Clinic with the Rosalind Penn Clinic to maximize available resources.
Penn further pressed the minister on whether the BVIHSA had plans to provide transportation for elderly and disabled residents who now face a longer journey for medical care. However, Wheatley acknowledged that budgetary constraints remain an issue.
“Due to ongoing challenges with vehicular resources, the BVIHSA currently lacks the means to transport clients to and from the clinic,” he said.
“Budget limitations have affected the procurement of adequate vehicles,” he added.
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VG prince -IS SAYING )> AH DON’T KNOW WAH THEM HARASSING ME FOR❓️ AH DOIN MAH BEST AIN’T MY FAULT IF MY ABILITY AIN’T GOOD ENOUGH , ITS THE NORM THESE DAYS ANYWAY
Short staff cannot stop center from being used. East End/Long Liok requires use of its facilities now now. Go VG and hold them hostage, but this is why ministries need to be held by at-large representatives especially that Finance ministry.
It will remain that way until you start paying people their worth. It’s hard to come to work and sometimes overwork, only to be paid pennies. I’m better off elsewhere.
Why dont you open these job opportunities to VIslanders?
Don’t see the need for two clinics in these two adjoining villages. Seem like one facility located in the middle of the two communities would make more sense.
If you go online, you will find an ad for a Registered Nurse at the Adina Donova home. The listed wages are $ 31-44k per annum. If you search for a nurse practitioner job in the US VI, you will see job listings that pay $100-$140K per annum.
There’s your answer right there. No one from here who leaves to study nursing overseas is likely to want to come back for wages you can barely even live on.
Hold the people accountable for the day to day operation of the Hospital to get it staffed. Thats what the get paid for. You have a bloated board of 9 that is missing 2 oe 3 and claiming thats the reason the cant act. a $40 million operation why do they need 9 members. There are $40 Billion operation operating ith less board members. They asses are just 1) lazy and 2) undermining the Minister. They all need to be fired
Cancel the big concert and spend the money to hire more nurses .