The paediatric ward in the old Peebles Hospital will be retrofitted to accommodate ten more clients for the Adina Donovan Home for the Elderly, Health and Social Development Minister Carvin Malone said in response to questions from Third District Representative Julian Fraser in the House of Assembly on July 31.

Mr. Malone said the existing facility can accommodate 20 residents and that there are three people on the waiting list.

Another eight applications for admission are being evaluated.

The minister added that funding had been allocated for additional services to assist individuals for whom there is not enough space.

In terms of a long-term plan, he said he envisions adding two additional floors to the existing structure with an overhead bridge linking administrative offices in the old hospital.

Old Peebles

In response to questions from Mr. Fraser, Mr. Malone also detailed the rest of the plans for the old Peebles Hospital.

He said there are eight spaces that make up the facility: the emergency room and lab area, the obstetric ward, the paediatric ward, the old medical ward, the operating theatre, the laundry area, the kitchen, and the pharmacy and medical records space.

The old ER and lab area, he said, is currently being used as an outpatient clinic and Road Town clinic, but will be converted to use for “information technology.”

The old obstetric ward on the second floor is being used by the Mental Health Division, and will continue to serve that function.

The paediatric ward on the second floor and the old medical ward on the first floor are being used as storage. The former will be retrofitted for outpatients for the Adina Donovan Home and the latter will be converted into the Road Town clinic.

The old operating theatre is being used for the dental clinic and for shelf space.

The old laundry area on the first floor will remain a laundry area.

The old kitchen area is being used for housekeeping and will be converted to office space. The old pharmacy and medical records space in the basement will be used for maintenance.

Mr. Malone added that the old building was configured to fit 48 beds and two incubators, but it did not meet international standards of space requirements for a health care facility.