Rahael: Hospitals back to normal today

HEALTH MINISTER John Rahael is optimistic that senior doctors will resume their overtime duties from today and there will be a resumption of 24-hour medical coverage at all of the nation’s hospitals. Addressing a news conference at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) yesterday, Rahael said:“I had discussions with the doctors yesterday (Saturday) and I’m hopeful. I expect that by tomorrow the doctors will in fact be out working even after the normal working hours.” In a statement, the Medical Professionals Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MPATT) said the doctors informed Rahael that they were unhappy with the package offered to them and how it was arrived at, the Joint Negotiating Team (JNT)’s failure to understand the issues and the continuous change in the JNT’s composition.

MPATT said the doctors were willing to “resume negotiations immediately” once an appropriately constituted JNT was formed, negotiations for 2003-2005 be completed by March 31 and negotiations for 2006 - 2008 begin as soon as possible. “Coming out of the discussions yesterday (Saturday) it was not only, I should say, the question of the remuneration package but the structure of the various allowances and the basic salaries. I think that is part of what they are concerned about,” Rahael stated.  While indicating that the percentage increase for the senior doctors appeared to be “a reasonable one” when one studies the bottom line, Rahael said he agreed that the JNT address the doctors’ concerns about the overall structure of their packages. He hinted that in some cases, the basic salaries and/or allowances would have to be looked at.

The minister also said he has “agreed to strengthen the JNT which has been negotiating with the doctors because they believe the JNT does not quite understand what it is that they require. “I’m hopeful they will now sit again with a revised negotiating team in order to come to an agreement with the consultants, the ministry and the regional health authorities (RHAs),” Rahael said. MPATT asst secretary Dr Rajendra Persad said senior doctors would be working overtime from today once they received word that the ministry would be resuming negotiations with them. Rahael assured the doctors that they have his commitment where this is concerned and said he was optimistic that both sides (JNT and doctors) would meet later this week.

JNT chairman, Imitiaz Ahamad, said the JNT would meet early this week with Rahael and hinted that negotiations with the senior doctors could resume shortly thereafter.  Both Ahamad (who is also South-West RHA chairman) and North-Central RHA communications specialist Charmaine Codrington said respective operations at the San Fernando General Hospital and EWMSC, ran  reasonably well over the weekend. Both hinted that public advisories stating that no consultant/specialist services would be available at their respective RHAs after 4 pm, would be lifted today.