‘More staff coming at Mt Hope hospital’

More staff will be hired for the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) in response to the increasing number of patients seeking medical attention since all services became free to people referred from other public health facilities. This was disclosed by Medical Chief of Staff Dr Rowland Moze, who was contacted about the crowd at the Orthopaedic Clinic at EWMSC on Thursday. He said the “abnormally” large patient attendance at the clinic was due to the long public holiday. There were 122 patients listed for treatment, 91 for follow-up consultation and 31 new patients. The clinic is staffed by one doctor, two nurses and one nursing assistant.

When Newsday visited the clinic, all the seats in the waiting area were occupied and there was a line of people standing. A worker told Newsday that while the opening of EWMSC has resulted in an increase in patients, yesterday was “the worst.” She said patients came from all over Trinidad, including Chaguanas, Sangre Grande and San Fernando. No one was turned away. Other clinics such as Cardiology and Nephrology have also had a doubling of patients. There were 61 patients scheduled for today’s cardiology clinic. “The only thing not doubling is the money and staff,” said another worker.

She was quick to add that staff had no problem working, but they were not consulted prior to the decision for all services to become free (for patients referred from other public facilities) from January 1. She said “systems” were not in place for the change. She was interested to know how long doctors could spend with each patient when there was a crowd. Waiting lists have also been extended for cardiology clinic. New patients for the cardiology clinic are getting appointments in November. Irate patients reportedly told staff they would be dead by the time they see the doctor. Staff has advised that when they get chest pains, they should go to the Priority Care Facility.

Moze said the Board of Directors was asked for more staff, and posts would have to be created for the increase. He said advertisements would have to be placed for staff for the orthopaedic, general surgery, medicine, nephrology, haematology and cardiology clinics. “A supplemental list will be going to the board for further staff in other areas,” Moze said. He disagreed with the view that EWMSC was turning into another general hospital, saying, “we are grappling with numbers for secondary services, but we are facing that.” He said tertiary services would not be affected.