HISTORY

The Hope Institute was the brainchild of the Jamaica Cancer Society. Its doors were opened in March 1963, as a free hospital for cancer patients. It started out as a 52-bed hospital and was managed by a consultative committee – Dr. K. Wilson James (chairman); Dr. Vernon Spence (physician-in-charge), Professor Sir Harry Annamunthodo; Dr. Donald C. Walter, Professor Stanley Brooks, Dr. L. L. Williams and Dr. Vasil Persaud.

The function of the Hope Institute was the furthering of cancer treatment, working in close conjunction with the Kingston Public Hospital and the University Hospital of the West Indies. The aim of the Jamaica Cancer society was to provide treatment and care, comparable to that available in private institutions and overseas, at little or no charge to cancer patients.

The rationale for establishing the Hope Institute was a curative one; however in 1970 a special wing was added to the hospital to accommodate recurrent and late cancer cases.

The Jamaica Cancer Society (and by extension the Hope Institute) was supported wholly by voluntary contributions from corporate and private sources. In 1973 it took $125,000 to run the hospital. The Government of Jamaica provided an annual grant of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) and the University of the West Indies $11,000. The cost to the Jamaica Cancer Society was still $54,000. As time progressed the Hope Institute was unable to sustain itself and was taken over by the Ministry of Health in 1974.

Hope Institute Hospital Today
The Ministry of Health currently plays a monitoring role as the hospital now falls under the umbrella of South East Regional Health Authority, which came into being in 1999. The hospital is grouped with Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Center and National Chest Hospital, together comprising the Liguanea Region. The Chief Executive Officer based at the National Chest Hospital manages this Region.

At the local level the day-to-day operations of the hospital is carried out by a management team, ‘Hope Management Committee’ (HMC), comprising an Administrator, Consultant, Director of Nursing Services and Deputy Director of Nursing Services

There are two Medical Teams responsible for the management of patients. A Palliative Care team based at the hospital: - A Consultant, a Resident and an Intern. A Curative team based at the Radiotherapy Department (RTD) at the Kingston Public Hospital; - A Consultant, Residents and Interns. The nursing staff work with both teams: - Registered Nurses, Enrolled Assistant Nurses and Ward Assistants. Other members of the teams include Drivers, Male Orderlies, Female Attendants, Dietary Assistant and cooks.

Wards
The hospital presently has a forty (40) bed capacity and is divided into five sections namely, a Private Wing (6 rooms), Helen Pack Ward (12 beds), Chemotherapy Room (4 beds), Ronald Raven Ward (12 beds) and an Annex (6 beds).
Services
Oncology
1. Radiotherapy
2. Chemotherapy

Palliative Care Program
1. In patient care
Symptom Control
Respite Care
Terminal Care
2. Out patient clinic
Counseling – offered in collaboration with students from various tertiary institutions pursuing degrees in counseling, social work, psychology and the Jamaica Cancer Society.
Future services
Community based care – home visits
Day Care for Cancer patients
24hr support line
Research and Public Education