The Spanish Town Hospital is the largest Type B Hospital in the island and has statistics comparable to a Type A hospital (i.e. Kingston Public Hospital, Cornwall Regional Hospital).

The hospital was built in 1952 and is located in the parish of St. Catherine, the fastest growing parish in the island. The hospital continues to experience an increasing demand on its services as it serves rapidly growing communities such as Portmore, Eltham and Ensom City. Also, its close proximity to three major highways contributes to an increasing number of victims of motor vehicle accidents accessing the hospital for Emergency Medical Care.

The hospital falls under the jurisdiction of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA), which provides managerial and technical supervision and support to the hospital.

The Bustamante Hospital for Children was officially established as the nation’s specialist Paediatric Hospital in 1963. It was named after Jamaica’s first Prime Minister, Sir Alexander Bustamante.

As the only specialist paediatric facility in the English speaking Caribbean, it is a major referral institution for the entire island. Patients are also drawn from other countries in the region, occasionally. It caters for patients from birth to twelve years.

The facility also provides psychosocial, educational and recreational services through a Medical Social Work Department, a Child Guidance Clinic and a basic school.

The hospital falls under the jurisdiction of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA).

The Princess Margaret Hospital is a Type C facility. It was officially opened in 1955 after hurricane Charlie destroyed the Morant Bay Hospital in 1951.

The hospital serves the parish of St. Thomas as well as sections of Portland and St. Andrew.

The hospital falls under the jurisdiction of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA).

The University Hospital of the West Indies is a quasi public facility. The Government of Jamaica funds eighty two (82) percent of the Hospital’s budget, while the remaining sixteen (18) percent is supplied by Governments of other Caribbean territories.

The University Hospital of the West Indies evolved out of the need for training of medical students in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies, which was then known as the University College of the West Indies. The Hospital which was established in 1948 was then known as the University College Hospital of the West Indies. In 1967, the College received full University status and was renamed the University of the West Indies. The name of the Hospital was also changed to reflect the change.

Since then the Hospital has continued to grow and influence the provision of quality health care in the wider Caribbean. It is also known and respected for its command in a wide number of specialist areas and is at the forefront of research in the Caribbean.
The three main areas of focus at the Hospital are Teaching, research and Patient Care.