Saint Lucia: Requirements and procedures to obtain a medical report from within St. Lucia as well as from abroad; whether there is a nationwide standard format for the report issued by all hospitals in the country; if so, the information contained in it; whether doctors have reporting obligations to the police regarding cases of assault, including domestic violence, as well as information on any documents used and processes followed
This Response is based on information provided to the Research Directorate on 17 October 2011 through correspondence with the Medical Director of Saint Jude's Hospital in Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia. Saint Jude's is owned and funded by the government. Unless otherwise stated, the information pertains only to medical reports at Saint Jude's Hospital.
Medical report
A medical report outlines a specific situation, condition, or instance of service at Saint Jude's. For example, it can describe a physical injury or provide "a summary of a person's medical condition." The type of information included in it varies, depending on the purpose for which the report is written.
Obtaining a medical report from within Saint Lucia
A medical report can be formally requested by an individual living in Saint Lucia through a written request or in person. Persons treated for abuse or violence should submit their request in writing; however, a verbal request can also be made to the medical secretary. The request, whether verbal or written, must include the reason for needing the report. The cost of the report varies between 50 and 100 East Caribbean (XCD) dollars [1 XCD = 0.36 CAD (XE 25 Oct. 2011)].
Once the request has been submitted, the hospital verifies the identity of the person through appropriate documentation, such as a national identity card. The medical director or the physician that provided the treatment then issues the report, which is written on the hospital's letterhead.
Obtaining a medical report from outside Saint Lucia
An individual residing outside of Saint Lucia must submit an official request in writing and specify the reason for requesting the report. To expedite delivery, the person can include a post-marked envelope with the address to which the report should be sent. If the medical report is to be picked up by a proxy, such as a family member or a friend, the written request should specify the name of the person authorized to pick up the report. The identity of the proxy will be verified by the hospital.
An official request by an organization or institution that requires the report can also be sent on the person's behalf. Such a request must be authorized by the individual in question.
Format of medical reports
The format of a medical report depends on the type of information it includes and the reason it has been requested. For example, a report required by a doctor will contain different details than a report required for legal purposes, such as immigration.
Medical reports for the court
For court-ordered medical reports, all hospitals in Saint Lucia use a form issued by the Ministry of Justice. The form includes the following information:
- Name of the hospital;
- Patient's name, age, sex, address, occupation, and religion;
- Date the patient was seen by a medical practitioner;
- Number of the medical record;
- Patient's medical condition at the time of his or her examination;
- Nature and extent of any injuries;
- Type of trauma that caused the injury;
- Attending physician's opinion on what instrument, if any, caused the injury, as well as on the degree of force used;
- Any other significant features of the injury; and
- Treatment prescribed and prognosis for recovery.
- The report also includes a sworn statement that the medical practitioner signs and dates.
Reporting incidents of violence to the police
Doctors are legally obligated to report incidents of violence, assault and abuse to the police. In such cases, the hospital calls the police to report the incident. If the police bring the case to court, the hospital provides them with a medical report. Bringing a person accused of the violence to court can also be "initiated by the victim when s/he makes a complaint to the police."
If the case does not go directly to court, the police can still "request a medical report as part of their ongoing investigations," or the victim can request a copy of the report if he or she wants to take independent legal action.
The medical report is the same as that used for court-ordered reports. It is the only nationwide standard medical report. All other medical reports vary in appearance, depending on the medical practitioner, the purpose of the report, "the party soliciting the report, etc."
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Medical Director. 17 October 2011. Saint Jude's Hospital, Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia. Correspondence from the Medical Director to the Research Directorate.
XE. 25 October 2011. "Currency Converter Widget." <http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert/?Amount=1&From=XCD&To=CAD> [Accessed 25 Oct. 2011]
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources: A representative from the Soufriere Hospital and a Saint Lucia lawyer could not provide information for this Response. A representative from the Consulate General of Saint Lucia in Toronto did not respond within the time constraints of this Response. Attempts to contact representatives from the Ministry of Health and Labour Relations, Tapion Hospital, and Victoria Hospital, as well as several Saint Lucia lawyers were unsuccessful.
Internet sites, including: Saint Lucia - Government Information Service, Ministry of Health and Labour Relations; Saint Lucia Tourist Board; Tapion Hospital; United States Department of State.