Ministry of Health and Wellness launches citizens charter and wait experience programme

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has formally launched a citizens charter and a wait experience programme aimed at clearer service standards and a better experience for patients in public health facilities.

Master of ceremonies Sheena Salmon told guests the initiatives place people at the centre of care and strengthen accountability in service delivery. Sushan Stewart, director of customer service, said the programmes reflect ongoing work to improve how Jamaicans are served across the ministry and its facilities.

Daniel Jones Cox, senior director in the Modernization Programme Implementations Unit at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, linked the launch to the government’s service excellence policy, approved by Cabinet in March 2022 and rolled out in July that year. She said a published charter sets expectations citizens can hold the ministry to, while the wait experience programme addresses dignity and time spent in waiting areas.

Shorlee Bridgeman, chairman of the Jamaica Customer Service Association, welcomed the move and noted the timing during mental health awareness month, saying less stressful, more compassionate service environments can support emotional well-being.

Dr. Kimarley Humphrey, principal director in the Enabling Environment in Health and Client Services Division, said the division was operationalised in 2024 to improve standards and accountability. In the financial year just ended, the division received 387 complaints and closed 222 to customers’ satisfaction. Over the past year, 386 service excellence practitioners were trained and certified across the public health sector.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tuftton said health facilities recorded just under three million visits last year, with more visits to health centres than hospitals. He acknowledged complaint systems exist—from on-site customer service representatives through regional authorities to the division—but said they have not worked as effectively as needed. He urged patients to use internal channels before publicising bad experiences, stressed that waiting cannot be eliminated but must be managed with empathy, and called for staff welfare, field monitoring, and accountability for poor performance.

Tuftton and Humphrey unveiled the charter and presented copies to regional health authority representatives and partners, including Meen Golding, chief technical director at the ministry, and directors from the southeast, southern, western, and northeast regional health authorities.