The Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities Council is a board established to monitor, regulate and inspect hospitals and healthcare facilities. This Council functions according to the Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities Act, 1998 and the Hospitals and Healthcare Regulations, 2000.

The functions of the Board are:

• To issue licenses for the use of buildings as hospitals and/or healthcare facilities.
• To inspect hospitals and healthcare facilities.
• To initiate investigations into any matter affecting the management, diagnosis or treatment of a person within a hospital or
• To appoint qualified people (not those engaged in the management of a hospital or healthcare facility or employed by a hospital or healthcare facility) to be inspectors for the purposes of this Act; and
• To do such other things as may be prescribed by this Act or any other written law.
  

The Board consists of 9 members:

• The Chief Medical Officer to the Ministry of Health.
• 1 medical practitioner selected by the Medical Association of The Bahamas.
• 1 dental practitioner selected by the Bahamas Dental Association.
• 1 member of the Nurses Association selected by the Association.
• 1 member of the public.
• 4 persons (other than medical practitioners) qualified as having had experience or having shown capacity in matters relating to industry, commerce, finance, law and administration.

The Minister appoints, from among Board members, a Chairman and Deputy Chairman. After consultation with Board members, the Minister may also make regulations that provide for:

• The construction, establishment, licensing, alteration, safety, equipping, maintenance and repair of hospitals or healthcare facilities.
• The classification, grades and standards of hospitals and healthcare facilities.
• The inspection, control, government, management, conduct, operation and use of hospitals or healthcare facilities.
• The qualifications of Administrators of hospitals and healthcare facilities and of staff, officers, servants and employees of hospitals or healthcare facilities and the powers and duties thereof.
• The qualifications, powers and duties of inspectors.
• The admission, treatment, care of, discharge of patients and the control of the admission of any class of patient.
• The facilities and services to be provided in hospitals or healthcare facilities.
• The form of applications for licenses.
• The records, books, reports and returns to be made and kept in respect of hospitals or healthcare facilities and the production to and inspection by the Board, or any person authorised by the Board, of such records, books, reports and returns.
• Fees and reports to be submitted to the Board by a hospital or healthcare facility.

The Board receives funding from both Parliament and fees collected.

Related links:

• Facilities Licensing, Renewals, & Transfers
• Facilities Registration
• Facilities Inspection

For more information, please contact:

The Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities Board
Delancy Street, (opposite Ministry of Health exit gate)
P.O. Box N-9802
Nassau
New Providence
The Bahamas
Tel. (242) 326-0553
Fax.(242) 326-0537
Opening hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday, except public holidays