Health

A review of diabetes-related hospital admissions in Montserrat has identified 15 lower-limb amputations over a five-year period, prompting the introduction of a standardized diabetic foot-risk assessment tool aimed at reducing preventable limb loss here. The findings were presented by NHS Community Practice Educator Rachel Jackson during the Ministry of Health’s Fourth Annual Research Day, on the topic, “Reducing Diabetic Amputations at Glendon Hospital: Implementing a Standardised Diabetic Foot Risk Stratification Tool.” She said Montserrat has a high prevalence of diabetes and hypertension and she undertook “a retrospective review of admissions to the ward between 2020 and 2025 and I identified 15 diabetes-related amputations.” Jackson noted that this “equates to roughly one in every 293 residents undergoing an amputation over a five-year period.” So this project addresses the critical and disproportionately high rates of diabetes-related amputations on the island of Montserrat,” explained the Professional Nurse Advocate.  To help address the issue, Jackson introduced an island-wide Diabetic Foot Risk Stratification Tool, now in use across both hospital and community healthcare centres on island. The tool provides a standardized approach to assessing patients, identifying those at higher risk and ensuring timely referral and treatment. Jackson noted that evidence suggests up to 85 per cent of diabetes-related amputations can be prevented through early identification and intervention. The initiative also includes patient education leaflets to encourage regular foot care and help individuals recognize warning signs before complications develop. The project has since been handed over to local healthcare professionals, who will oversee its continued implementation and integration into routine clinical practice.

A mental health practitioner has identified early screening and intervention as ways to improve mental health outcomes in Montserrat. Acting Community Mental Health Nurse, Donique Layne was presenting the findings of a six-year review on mental health diagnoses, referrals and service use at the Ministry of Health’s Fourth Annual Research Day. Layne said anxiety and depression, particularly among women, often begin years before they are diagnosed. She noted that symptoms frequently go unrecognized until the conditions have progressed, highlighting the need for earlier detection through initiatives such as workplace mental health screenings. She stated that often “when these persons are diagnosed with anxiety or depression, the onset would have been way before. So when you take the history and you interview them, you find out that these symptoms would have started maybe a few years before, but it was never picked up.” Layne said that “going forward, we’re hoping to improve on that by doing screening within the workplace where we’re able to identify stressors early and intervene at an earlier stage so that we can prevent them from when they do come to us, that we’re not seeing them when the disease has already progressed.”  “In contrast with trauma-related disorder, which presents quickly after onset, and of course, this has a direct link. We know that the trauma is related to something that actually happened, a physical event that would have happened in that person’s life,” Layne explained.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services has announced the launch of Wellness in Motion, a new mobile health clinic initiative designed to bring essential preventive health services directly into communities across Montserrat. The programme aims to make healthcare more accessible by taking services beyond the traditional clinic setting and into villages, workplaces and community spaces. By reducing barriers to care, the initiative encourages residents to take a proactive approach to their health through regular screening, education, and early detection. The mobile clinic will operate on the first and last Friday of each month, visiting communities across Montserrat to provide a range of free health services. These services include Blood pressure checks, Blood sugar (glucose) screening, Other health checks, Health education, and opportunities to speak with healthcare professionals and receive advice on maintaining good health. Acting Director of Primary Health Care Services, Penny Maloney, said the initiative reflects the Ministry’s commitment to making preventive healthcare more convenient and accessible. She notes that many chronic illnesses, including diabetes and hypertension, can develop silently before symptoms appear. Mrs. Maloney further explains that wellness in Motion is about meeting people where they are, making it easier to know their health status, ask questions, and access professional advice before problems become more serious. She says the Ministry’s vision is for the mobile clinic to become a regular part of the services offered through Primary Health Care, ensuring that preventive healthcare is consistently brought into the communities. The programme officially launches on Friday, 7 August, with the mobile clinic travelling from St. John’s Centre to Sweeney’s between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. The second clinic will take place on Friday, 28 August, serving communities from Davy Hill to Little Bay between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Ministry encourages residents to take advantage of the service by stopping at the mobile clinic during its scheduled visits. Whether individuals wish to check their blood pressure, monitor their blood sugar, seek health information, or simply speak with a member of the healthcare team, ‘Wellness in Motion’ provides a convenient opportunity to do so close to home. Residents are encouraged to follow the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Government of Montserrat Facebook page for monthly schedules, routine updates and additional health promotion activities. ‘Wellness in Motion’ represents another step in the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare and ensuring that quality health services are accessible to every community across Montserrat.