“Make customer service our number one priority” is the challenge that Regional Director of the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), Mr. Michael Bent has given to the senior management staff of the SRHA.
He made the appeal at a Leadership Luncheon which is the first in a series of leadership seminars geared towards motivating senior management staff to foster an environment that will allow their staff to be more innovative, creative and handle challenges better in order to create more efficiencies in improving quality care. The Seminar was held on Tuesday, February 7 at the Mandeville Hotel in Manchester.
Mr. Bent noted that the Authority has made some progress as it relates to customer service but added that there is much room for improvement.
In 2016, the SRHA introduced Customer Service Units at the Mandeville Regional Hospital in Manchester and the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon which Mr. Bent said has had an effective impact on the development of a service-oriented environment.
He added that for 2017, this Unit will be introduced to the Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth noting that plans are underway for the introduction to other facilities within the region. Mr. Bent pointed out that the SRHA also has other customer service initiatives including training to certify staff in customer service which is ongoing, implementation of Customer Charters which aim to improve the quality of service offered by Hospitals and the promotion of information geared towards empowering customers to make improved decisions.
The Regional Director also charged the senior management staff to maintain their levels of efficiencies imploring them not to get complacent as there is no plateau in leadership.
“We must continue to improve our levels of efficiencies throughout the organization, which must be done through greater levels of creativity and initiatives particularly in some of the processes and management of our human and financial resources. We need to forge more partnerships both locally and throughout the Diaspora and we must capitalize on establishing partnerships with churches, civic groups, community groups and local businesses to help us to improve our services” Mr. Bent said.
Mr. Bent also implored the staff to pay keen attention to accountability which should be at the forefront of their stewardship.
Chairman and CEO of Manpower and Maintenance Services Ltd. Mrs. Audrey Hinchcliffe who was the keynote speaker noted that to effectively cater to the health needs of citizens, not only is a “healthy budget required but healthy leadership.”
Mrs. Hinchcliffe who is a trained nurse who has worked in several capacities in the health profession told the staff that leadership is very powerful and implored them to use effective leadership to motivate internal and external persons in an effort to improve standards of service.
