The Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) in partnership with the Heart Trust/NTA has trained 14 staff members in Electro-Mechanic Engineering Maintenance, in an effort to improve and strengthen the technical capacity of its Operations and Maintenance team, to perform at international standards.

SRHA Maintenance Manager, Mr. Richard Copeland said the SRHA recognized the need for its Operations and Maintenance staff to be trained and certified at higher levels of competencies in order to meet the changing demands of the health sector and the Authority.

The participants who were selected from facilities across the SRHA which includes Manchester, Clarendon and St. Elizabeth, embarked on the comprehensive nine month programme in April 2016 and will receive certification at Level 111 by the Heart Trust/NTA shortly.

Mr. Copeland explained that the initiative to enhance the competencies of the staff is grounded in its strategic plan “to be able to better respond to the varying emergency and routine demands for technical and professional services.”

Noting that the programme involved competency gap training and assessment against international competency standards, the Maintenance Manager added that the staff has also boosted their competencies in areas of customer service, work safety management, report writing and high technical and professional standard practices.

For SRHA Fleet Coordinator, Mr. Robert Robinson, the training is a welcomed initiative which  “has enhanced my capacities and competencies. It was very informative and I feel empowered to do my job more effectively.”