THE PUBLIC is giving the rehabilitated Mandeville Hospital thumbs up. Since the completion of the project last August people have been coming to the facility from surrounding parishes as far as Westmoreland.
The aesthetics of the hospital is only a part of its attraction. The elegant architectural design in a spacious garden setting has created a pleasing atmosphere for the health care facility. But improved customer service is also a big part of the love affair with the hospital.
According to Operations Manager Sohane Weston-Rose, "many people are attracted to this hospital because of the new look of our building and its beautiful surroundings. They are also hearing of the good service being provided by our staff and we have had some new doctors come in to complement those we had already".
The Government seems to have got it right this time. For $700 million the hospital has been transformed into one of the most modern health care facilities in the Caribbean. Numerous complaints followed the construction of the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay in the 1970s. Complaints, continuing until today, range from location and aesthetics to the functionality of the design and customer service.
Too many public facilities are designed to be ugly and functionally deficient, while their staff delivers shoddy customer service. Security considerations tend to dominate design and the plea of lack of money used to justify cutting corners on space and beauty. The Mandeville Hospital is a demonstration of what can be creatively achieved at affordable cost.
The Government should take note of the people's pride in the aesthetics of the new facility and their willingness to travel far for good customer service. Staff too are proud of their attractive work environment and of the appreciative customer response to quality service. Surely this story can be replicated many times across the Public Service.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner.
