The Tribune

Mary Walker, the hospital administrator at the Princess Margaret Hospital who was placed on temporary leave after a leaked internal memo on new fees for dialysis patients, is due to take over as head of the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

Ms Walker will take over from Ruth Albury, who starts pre-retirement leave this month, capping 46 years of "outstanding" public service.

"A veteran of the public healthcare system, Ms Walker has provided more than 40 years of service to the Bahamian people, with 15 years in a managerial capacity at various levels at our nation's largest hospital," the Public Hospitals Authority said in a statement. "She began her career as a registered nurse in 1980 and has served as staff nurse, nursing officer, infection control assistant manager and environmental safety manager, until she was appointed to the position of hospital administrator at the PMH in 2013."

Last month, The Tribune reported Ms Walker had been placed on temporary administrative leave after the hospital faced fierce backlash over a leaked internal memo proposing a new fee structure for patients of the dialysis unit who use wheelchair transport.

Health Minister Dr Duane Sands at the time confirmed Ms Walker's leave, but would not reveal what prompted it. He would only tell reporters she was put on leave for two weeks. It began on August 31, The Tribune understands.

However, it has been claimed that the leave was a form of disciplinary action after the memo was released to hospital staff and patients in the absence of consultation with PHA and the government. The memo was also circulated on social media.