A new managing director has been appointed to head the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) – the country’s primary healthcare engine.
Catherine Weech, whose appointment took effect March 1, 2018, is a healthcare veteran who has worked in the industry for more than 30 years.
According to a statement provided by the PHA, Weech entered the public service in 1981 as a physiotherapist at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). She earned her Master of Science Degree in Health Services Administration in 1984, after which she was promoted to senior assistant hospital administrator at PMH.
Weech, the statement said, was instrumental in the establishment of the Department of Public Health (DPH) in 1990 when she accepted the post of administrator for the independent construct of the Ministry of Health.
During her seven-year tenure, she implemented regional healthcare offices in several family islands enabling local administrators greater flexibility in the allocation of financial and clinical resources.
The statement went on to read that Weech also served as hospital administrator at the Grand Bahama Health Services/Rand Memorial Hospital from 1997-98 and 2010 -14, serving as hospital administrator of the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre in between. During that time, she successfully managed operations at the country’s only public geriatric and psychiatric institution. She then put her experience and skills to work as Health Systems Designee and Health Systems strengthening consultant, with the National Health Insurance (NHI) project.
Weech is the third managing director of the PHA since its establishment in 1999. She follows Michaela Virgil-Storr and Herbert Brown in the post.
