MHES announces new HSA Board members and Governance Audit

The Ministry of Health, Environment and Sustainability (MHES) today announced new board members for the Health Services Authority (HSA), along with the commissioning of a ten-week governance audit of the HSA spearheaded by KPMG. Speaking from a live press conference at the Government Administration Building, Honourable Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, Minister for Health, Environment and Sustainability reaffirmed her Ministry’s commitment to strengthening governance and accountability across the HSA.

“Change is difficult, and what we are embarking on now is a period of transition, with no shortage of work nor difficult decisions on the horizon,” said Minister Ebanks-Wilks.

She explained that with the current HSA board composition, they understand not only what is expected of them but also the vision that Government is working towards, and they are committed to serve.

To ensure continuity and to strengthen the Board’s capacity to deliver on its priorities, Government moved quickly to appoint four board members to sit in place of four who had resigned days earlier.

The current Board composition features a complementary range of expertise across health, finance, regulatory, technology and legal disciplines, positioning the Authority to effectively discharge its statutory responsibilities and support Government’s 2026 – 2028 Strategic Policy Statement.

Minister Ebanks-Wilks thanked the outgoing Board members for their service and announced the following new members, as approved by Cabinet:

• Mr. Timothy Ridley, as Chairperson of the Board
• Mr. Omari Corbin, as Director of the Board
• Mr. Buck Grizzel, as Director of the Board
• Mr. Peter Spratt, as Director of the Board

“The appointment of new Board members marks an important step forward for HSA as we continue to strengthen our governance framework and operational effectiveness,” said the Chief Officer for Health, Environment and Sustainability Ms. Tamara Ebanks. “Their combined experience will provide strong oversight and support the management of delivering high-quality and sustainable health services.”

Further supporting reform efforts, which began last year with the announced transition of the HSA Board’s remuneration to a fixed monthly structure effective 1 December 2025, Minister Ebanks-Wilks provided details on the commissioning of a ten-week governance audit of both the HSA Board and Senior leadership, spearheaded by KPMG.

Acknowledging the longstanding public plea for greater accountability at HSA, Minister Ebanks-Wilks said the audit is meant to provide Government and the people of Cayman with a clear understanding of what is working, what needs improvement, and what needs to change.

“I give my commitment to you today that I will not only be sharing the entire findings of the KPMG report with the public, but that I am committed to providing clear and consistent communication about the recommendations, the plans for implementation, and its progress,” she said.

The KPMG assessment, which began on 12 January 2026, is an evaluation of the HSA’s governance structures, leadership capability, and operational effectiveness, with the aim of strengthening the Authority.  The targeted diagnostic will support MHES in driving system-level improvements, advancing national health priorities, and informing long-term reform and strategic planning.

“The HSA plays an essential role in our healthcare landscape,” Minister Ebanks-Wilks continued. “Therefore, it is imperative that we understand both what is working and what needs improvement; and take the necessary steps to strengthen governance, improve accountability, enhance transparency and increase efficiency – while ensuring that roles are clear, and that services and programmes are aligned with strategic national priorities.”

KPMG Islands Group’s healthcare practice team has worked extensively with island-nations within the Caribbean, Crown Dependencies and Mediterranean islands on national health strategies, strategic plans, business cases, programmes, projects and assessments. 

“The KPMG team will work to identify root causes of key governance and operational challenges, and will provide actionable recommendations to support relevant, meaningful and sustainable improvements,” Minister Ebanks-Wilks added.  “We are happy to be working with KPMG, the HSA Board and their Senior Management Team to get the most out of this project.”

The ten-week project’s primary objectives are as follows.

1. Assess the performance, composition, and capabilities of the HSA Board and Senior Management Team against international leading practices.
2. Provide evidence-based insights and priority recommendations to guide system-level transformation.
3. Identify governance and operational gaps affecting the HSA’s effectiveness.
4. Support MHES in strengthening the strategic alignment between the HSA, MHES, and broader national health priorities. 

“KPMG’s work will include stakeholder interviews and a survey, critical document review, and validation of findings by both the Ministry and HSA,” said Chief Officer Ms. Ebanks. 

“The public will also have the opportunity to provide feedback via both electronic and hardcopy surveys, and the KPMG team is actively looking at additional ways to engage with and obtain information from our community for this assessment.”

Ms. Ebanks noted that HSA staff will have their own survey, to provide them with the opportunity to speak to their experiences and suggestions.  

“Our hope is that this project will serve to strengthen the working relationship between the Ministry, the Board and the HSA as we work together to bring tangible results that the people we serve can see and feel,” she said.