Queen Elizabeth Hospital Adds Staff as Patient Surge Strains Emergency Department

Bed shortages at Queen Elizabeth Hospital are forcing patients to wait in A&E and limiting elective surgery as the department faces rising cases of chronic disease complications, trauma and respiratory infections. Officials said damaged, mould-affected wards have reduced bed space, while 55 patients remain in hospital awaiting discharge and repairs are expected to restore capacity soon.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital leaders say critical challenges are driving a surge in patients at its Accident and Emergency Department. Senior management held a news conference to appeal to the public for help as the island’s main tertiary care hospital works to improve services.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. the Most Honourable Kenneth George said the Queen Elizabeth Hospital cannot force relatives to take elderly family members home. He said past efforts to move older patients back into family care had limited success and were not the best long-term solution.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital has assigned 10 new staff members to its Accident and Emergency Department to help handle the growing number of patients, Director of Nursing Services Henderson Pinder said. He announced the move at a press conference this morning, underscoring efforts to ease pressure on emergency care services.

The Barbados Nurses Association is urging nurses with critical care or emergency experience to help the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where more than 55 patients are waiting for assessment in Accident and Emergency. A&E head Dr Anne-Marie Cruickshank said the department is dealing with the usual patient load, two motor vehicle accidents, and more cases linked to poorly managed non-communicable and respiratory illnesses.