GHA marks International Domestic Workers Day

The Gibraltar Health Authority marked International Domestic Workers Day on Tuesday, recognising the contribution of domestic staff at St Bernard’s Hospital and the Primary Care Centre in maintaining healthcare services and supporting patient safety.

This is commemorated annually across hospitals in Europe, with GHA staff responsible for cleaning medical areas, preventing cross-contamination in high-risk clinical settings and supporting infection prevention measures highlighted.

“The duties discharged by our hard-working and highly efficient domestic staff are vital for the normal and effective functioning of St Bernard’s Hospital and clinical settings in general,” GHA Director General Paul Bosio said.

“I would like to thank them for the brilliant work that they do all year round, as their efforts directly and significantly contribute to the lowering of patient mortality, the high quality of care and to a more positive patient experience in their recovery process back to health.”

Their responsibilities also include the safe handling and disposal of hazardous medical waste, while helping to provide a welcoming environment for patients and their families.

To mark the occasion, the Ministry for Health and Care and the GHA have produced a video celebrating the contribution of GHA domestic staff, which has been published on the authority’s social media platforms.

“Our domestic staff are an indispensable part of the GHA family,” the Minister for Health and Care, Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said.

“Their work may often take place quietly and behind the scenes, but its importance is visible throughout every area of every GHA facility.”

“On International Domestic Workers Day, I want to express my sincere thanks to every member of our domestic staff, past and present.”

“In the time I have been in Government it has become very clear to me that to deliver good healthcare there must be a collective effort and our domestics are an integral part of that team.”