The Hope Institute, which was the brainchild of the Jamaica Cancer Society, opened its doors in March 1993 s a free hospital for cancer patients. It started out as a 52-bed hospital and was managed by consultative committee. The aim of the Cancer Society was to provide treatment and care, comparable to that available in private institutions and facilities overseas, at little or no charge to cancer patients.
The Institute function as a which facilitated the furthering of cancer treatment, working in tandem with the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) and the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). Even though the facility mainly focused on curative care, a separate wing was established in 1970 to accommodate recurrent patients and late stage cancer cases.
The Jamaica Cancer Society and the Hope Institute by extension was supported wholly by voluntary contributions from corporate and private sources. In 1973 it cost to run the hospital was calculated at $125,000. The Government of Jamaica provided an annual grant of $60,000, while the University of the West Indies (UWI) provided another $11,000, leaving the Cancer Society to provide the balance. As the time progressed it became difficult for the Institute to sustain itself and so the Ministry of Health took over the facility in 1974.
Today Hope Institute is a 40 bed facility. The Ministry of Health currently plays a monitoring role as the hospital now falls under the responsibility of the South East Regional Health Authority, which overseas health facilities in Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Thomas and St. Catherine. Hope Institute is a part of the Liguanea Region which consists of National Chest Hospital and Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre. The chief executive officer, which is in charge of the Liguanea Region is based at the National Chest Hospital.
At the local level, the day-today operations of the hospital is carried out by a management team – Hope Management Committee (HMC) – comprising an administrator, consultant, director of nursing services, and deputy director of nursing services.
Two medical teams are responsible for the management of the patients. A palliative care team based at the hospital and curative team based at the Radiotherapy Department at the KPH. The nursing staff works with both teams.