Tuesday, 7 October 2025 – The Ministry of Health and Social Services is pleased to announce that thirteen (13) caregivers have successfully completed the six-month Montserrat Care Certificate Course.
This second cohort of trained caregiver marks another significant step towards strengthening the island’s health and social care workforce.
The graduation and pinning ceremony took place on Monday, October 6, 2025, celebrating the achievements of caregivers from Margetson Memorial Home, Golden Years Home, the Lookout Warden Supported Unit, and one private caregiver.
In her remarks at the ceremony, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sharra Greenaway-Duberry, congratulated the graduates for their dedication and commitment to professional development. She made special mention of the participation of the private caregiver, noting that this demonstrates the inclusiveness of the programme and its relevance across all areas of care.
“The expectation is that the additional knowledge and skills gained through this program will greatly improve the quality and delivery of care across Montserrat,” said Dr. Greenaway-Duberry. “Our caregivers are the backbone of community and institutional care, and by investing in their training, we are investing in the well-being of our people.”
The Care Certificate Course, introduced by the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in March 2023, provides foundational training for individuals already working in healthcare as Community Health Aides, Geriatric Aides, Wardens and Caregivers. The programme is designed to be completed over a six-month period and combines self-study with guided support from local facilitators and course coordinator; Nurse Tutor Naomi Joseph – Foster.
Since its introduction, thirty-one (31) caregivers have now been certified. Nine (9) of the previous graduates received additional training and served as Assessors for this 2nd cohort.
The Montserrat Care Certificate is built around fifteen (15) key standards, each addressing core areas of professional healthcare practice, including:
- Understanding your role
- Personal development and duty of care
- Equality and diversity
- Working in a person-centred way
- Communication
- Privacy and dignity
- Fluids and nutrition
- Awareness of mental health, dementia and learning disabilities
- Adult and child safeguarding
- Basic life support
The main objectives of the Care Certificate are to:
- Provide a quality framework for healthcare support workers to build essential skills and knowledge.
- Ensure the delivery of skilled, compassionate and high-quality care.
- Strengthen leadership and assessment capacity among certified Assessors.
- Develop a motivated, confident and competent workforce to meet the growing needs of Montserrat’s population.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services extends its sincere congratulations to all thirteen (13) graduates and expresses gratitude to the course facilitators, assessors and the UK Health Security Agency for their continued support in strengthening the island’s healthcare system.