Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2021)

2.   Interpretation

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   (1)   In this Act—

“Board” means the Private Hospitals Board established under section 3;

“house” means a building or other structure, whether permanent or temporary, intended for human habitation; and, where 2 or more houses are situate on adjacent pieces of land and are occupied by the same person, they constitute a single house for the purposes of this Act;

“inspector” means an inspector appointed under section 17;

“licence” means a licence issued under this Act to operate a private hospital;

“maternity home” means any house used or intended to be used for the reception, treatment and confinement of pregnant women or for the care and treatment of women immediately after childbirth;

“medical practitioner” means a person registered under Part 2 of the Medical Registration Act;

“midwife” means a person who is duly licensed as a midwife;

“Minister” means the member of the Cabinet charged with the administration of the subject of health;

“nurse” means a person whose name is on the Register of Nurses kept by the General Nursing Council of Saint Lucia;

“nurse midwife” means a person who is a nurse and a midwife;

“patient” means a person admitted to a private hospital for the purpose of treatment;

“private hospital” means a house where persons suffering from any sickness, injury or infirmity, are given medical or surgical treatment and nursing care, and includes a maternity home, convalescent home or a nursing home, but does not include—

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   (a)     a hospital or other establishment or institution operated or maintained by the Government or by a Local Authority;

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   (b)     any house which is used for the care and treatment of mentally ill persons and which is subject to any Act in that behalf;

“regulations” means regulations made under this Act;

“superintendent” means the person who has the direct and actual superintendence and charge of a private hospital;

“treatment” means the maintenance, observation, nursing and medical care and supervision of a patient.

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   (2)   Where under this Act or the regulations any officer of a private hospital is required to be resident, it is not necessary that such person actually reside within the hospital, provided he or she is on call and readily available.