North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai has emphasized the importance of staffing and technological updates during a recent visit to Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro. The facility, which functions under the state's purview, is grappling with a substantial 21% staffing vacancy rate, hampering its ability to fully utilize its 259-bed capacity, according to a statement obtained by the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
With nearly 200 positions unfilled, the current staff shortage at Cherry Hospital limits its operational capacity to 178 beds. This shortfall comes at a time when the Senate budget proposal is recommending significant cuts to NCDHHS positions, a move that Secretary Sangvai warns could severely restrict the number of patients the psychiatric hospital can assist. "Workers who care for and ensure the health of North Carolinians are the backbone of our ability to prosper as a state," Secretary Sangvai told the NC Department of Health and Human Services. He stressed the need to "retain these positions and funding for the Department to attract and maintain staff in critical positions."
During his tour of Cherry Hospital, which also encompassing the on-site Riverbend Middle/High School, Secretary Sangvai and hospital leadership addressed both the achievements and the trials faced by the state-operated facility. The discussions highlighted a dire need for an updated budget to cope with increased expenses for staff, food, and utilities.
The hospital's leadership team also conveyed the urgency to implement electronic health records, intended to commence this year across state health facilities. This technological advancement aims to modernize records, bolster healthcare quality, and streamline efficiency. Additionally, Cherry Hospital is enhancing support for community and jail-based capacity restoration services, building upon the capacities set forth in Mecklenburg and Pitt Counties, with recent announcements of expansion in Wake County.
