New JNT meets senior doctors

The “rejuvenated” Joint Negotiating Team (JNT) of Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) met with doctors for the first time yesterday at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC), and agreed to a timetable set by the doctors for the completion of negotiations. The meeting started at 1.10 pm and lasted just more than two hours. JNT Chairman, (Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry) Reynold Cooper, and predecessor Imtiaz Ahamad were in attendance as well as a delegation of doctors, led by acting president of the Medical Professionals Association of TT (MPATT) Dr Lakhan Roop. Chief Medical Officer of the Health Ministry, Dr Rohit Doon, was not present although he has also been appointed to the team.

Newsday learnt that the Health Ministry has asked the RHA chairmen to nominate  representatives to be part of the negotiations, which will start next week. Dr Roop told Newsday that the doctors have asked for an “independent industrial relations officer” to be on the team to provide guidance. He described the meeting as cordial and said “time-lines based on two week blocks” were suggested to resolve three main areas in the contracts — basic salary, overtime and compensatory days. Based on the time-lines, Roop said negotiations should be completed by the second week in April. At the meeting, the doctors gave their “rationale” for the changes they wanted in the package offered by the previous JNT.

Asked if the doctors would again withdraw their service if  negotiations did not go their way, Roop was optimistic of a resolution. Contacted for comment on how he felt about being replaced as chairman of the JNT, Imtiaz Ahamad said he had no problem with the decision since the resumption of service for the good of patients was his concern. He said the minister notified him and he accepted the change. Discussions for a new pay package for senior doctors — consultants and registrars — began March 12 last year and was at a stalemate last month. Senior doctors stopped working overtime for three days, from March 4, after rejecting the final offer presented by the JNT.