MORATORIUM REVIEW: Sandilands ban on admissions to be reconsidered amid growing mental health concerns

Darville says govt concerned about growing need for mental health assistance 

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Health Dr Michael Darville said yesterday he will make inquiries at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) over its moratorium of admissions, a policy that has been in place since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Following the governor general’s annual visit to Sandilands on Fox Hill Road, the minister said he is mindful and concerned about the growing need for mental health assistance in The Bahamas.

I will speak to the administration to see exactly if some of those protocols can be looked into, so we would be able to help more individuals who are in dying need of admission.

– Minister of Health & Wellness Dr Michael Darville

When asked if the moratorium could be lifted or revised given the increased need for mental health assistance amid the pandemic, the minister said: “That question is a difficult question for me to answer.

“I would have to speak to the administrator because I really do not know the capacity and what the bed arrangements presently are at the facility.

“But it is a concern because there are people out there who need services at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, but because of the pandemic, it is important for us to execute the proper protocols at the facility to prevent the possibility of transmissions from person to person.

“I will speak to the administration to see exactly if some of those protocols can be looked into, so we would be able to help more individuals who are in dying need of admission.”

Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre has a moratorium in place that governs forensic admissions, though the SRC makes weekly visits to assess and treat patients at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

According to an SRC spokesperson, the internal policy has been in place as part of the Public Hospitals Authority’s (PHA) COVID-19 pandemic management plan.

Leading psychologists have reported on a massive increase in individuals seeking assistance for mental health-related issues following Hurricane Dorian, and predict thousands more individuals will need mental health care with the more than 700 deaths associated with the pandemic.