Health in Barbados

A Polyclinic is usually the first public point of care in Barbados. Polyclinics serve defined catchment areas and provide general medical care, prevention, chronic disease management, maternal and child care, immunization, family planning, dental and eye care, reproductive health, rehabilitation, nutrition, chiropody, environmental health and HIV or sexually transmitted infection testing. Winston Scott Polyclinic offers extended hours, and a general practitioner may also provide primary care. Queen Elizabeth Hospital, commonly called QEH, provides acute, secondary and tertiary treatment. Its Accident and Emergency Department, called the AED, operates 24 hours a day without an appointment or referral. Triage determines the order of treatment according to medical need. Call 511 for an ambulance or 911 for a general emergency. The Minor Cases Unit or Fast Track service at Winston Scott Polyclinic may handle some less serious cases when clinically suitable. Hospital care at QEH is generally free for Barbadian citizens and Permanent Residents. Polyclinic access normally follows the catchment area for these groups. People who are neither citizens nor Permanent Residents receive immediate or urgent care, but non-urgent treatment may be chargeable or clinically limited. An identification card, passport or residence permit may be requested to confirm status. Private medical treatment follows separate arrangements, and the Medical Aid Scheme can provide a necessary alternative when a required service is not available at QEH. QEH outpatient appointments usually require a referral from a private doctor, Polyclinic, Geriatric Hospital, Psychiatric Hospital or the AED, and appointment availability affects the waiting time. The hospital has 550 beds and accounts for about 94% of hospital beds used by citizens and residents. District Hospitals, the Geriatric Hospital and Psychiatric Hospital provide additional inpatient and specialist services. Mental health care combines community clinics at all nine Polyclinics and at St. Andrew and St. Joseph with services at Psychiatric Hospital, including acute, emergency, inpatient and outpatient care. Barbados gives high priority to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer and chronic respiratory illness. Long-term treatment therefore depends on regular reviews, medicine access and follow-up rather than only on a single consultation. Barbados's immunization schedule covers 14 antigens, including polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, pneumococcus, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, BCG, HPV and influenza. In 2025, DTP3 and polio3 coverage was 85%, with a 2026 objective of at least 95%. HPV vaccination uses one dose for people from age 9 through age 26 and is available free at Polyclinics; it is not mandatory. Winston Scott Polyclinic provides HIV and sexually transmitted infection testing from Monday to Wednesday, 9:00 to 13:00. An appointment is preferred, while walk-in testing depends on capacity. Services include PrEP, PEP, condoms, prevention of transmission from mother to child and antiretroviral treatment. Antiretroviral treatment is free for people living with HIV. The Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory supports public and reference testing, surveillance and antimicrobial-resistance monitoring, and has been a WHO and PAHO Collaborating Centre for antimicrobial-resistance surveillance since 2026. The Barbados Drug Service, or BDS, manages the National Drug Formulary and public medicine supply. Queen Elizabeth Hospital provides island-wide delivery for repeat medicines when orders are placed at least three to five business days in advance. Delivery costs $10 or $16. The Special Benefit covers prescribed medicines for people aged 65 or older, children under 16 and people treated for hypertension, diabetes, cancer, glaucoma, asthma or epilepsy. Participating private pharmacies may charge beneficiary fees of $7, $10 or $14 under the 2024 notice. Long-term inpatient care for older adults is available through Geriatric Hospital, St. Philip District Hospital, St. Lucy District Hospital and Gordon Cummins District Hospital. Geriatric Hospital also provides adult day care, while Alternative Care uses state and private placements. Albert Cecil Graham Development Centre assesses and rehabilitates children and supports parents or guardians. Disabled adults needing long-term inpatient care may receive services through Psychiatric Hospital or St. Philip District Hospital. Patients have rights to access, respect, privacy, information, participation, protection, complaints and safety under the QEH Patients' Charter. They may give informed consent, refuse treatment, request a second opinion and expect confidentiality and continuity of care. Patients should provide a complete medical history, disclose medicines and allergies, understand tests and procedures, follow prescribed treatment and respect hospital rules. After an AED discharge, written instructions, a referral or a follow-up appointment should explain the next care step. QEH Medical Records handles outpatient appointments, reports and admission records. Complaints about Polyclinic care can go first to the supervisor or Medical Officer and then to the Chief Medical Officer; QEH complaints can be directed to Patient Advice and Liaison Service or the Clinical Risk Management Unit.