‘50 doctors doing the work of 350’

WESTERN BUREAU:

Amid a strike by Jamaica’s junior doctors on Monday to protest compensation issues, Dr Delroy Fray warned that western public hospitals would not be able to cope with the resulting disruptions for more than 24 hours.

But the doctors returned to work at 6 p.m. yesterday following a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Labour.

Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association (JMDA) president, Dr Renee Badroe, told The Gleaner that a meeting is planned for Tuesday at which time her association would meet with officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and the Ministry of Health to address the concerns raised by the doctors.

Before the agreement to go back to work, Fray, the clinical coordinator at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), shared a grim outlook in an interview with The Gleaner as the islandwide sickout of junior doctors – supported by more than 350 in western Jamaica – severely strained hospital operations. The action left approximately 50 consultants scrambling to fill the gaps in the west.

“Early Monday morning, we were informed by our junior doctors that they will be going on a sickout, and they could not tell us how long it will last. I got up here to the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) early and we had a meeting with our consultants. We have 33 consultants on staff here at this hospital, so we developed a schedule to deploy them to deal with mainly the Accident and Emergency Department because whatever happens, we have to ensure that our staff look after emergency cases,” said Fray.

“There are 350 grade one to grade three doctors in the region, and consultants are grade four. Interns and senior house offices are not included, so I have asked for those numbers to be added up because those are on sickout, too,” continued Fray. “What it means is that, right now, 33 doctors at CRH have to do that work, and if you are including consultants from the other hospitals ... then probably 50 doctors are doing what the 350 doctors would be doing. We cannot hold it for longer than 24 hours.”

While outlining how the operations at the hospitals under the WRHA’s jurisdiction have been affected by the strike action, Fray urged the powers that be to quickly come to a settlement that will allow the junior doctors to return to work in the fastest possible time.

The protest significantly disrupted hospital services across the region, including outpatient clinics, operating theatres, and patient admissions.

“I want the authorities to act fast, and I do not want them to drag their feet. All they have to do, just deal with the people and give them an affirmative date for their money and let them go back to work; that is what I need right away,” he added.

Monday’s strike action by the junior doctors followed a letter that was sent out on Sunday by the JMDA, which outlined grievances they say have gone unaddressed for more than 20 months. The concerns included the Government’s failure to address retroactive payments for owed overtime; the unilateral removal of incentive allowances, which was reportedly endorsed by a medical representative body; and the imposition of new overtime rates contrary to previous agreements.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com