Doctors meet to discuss amendments to Medical Bill

Only a few doctors have seen the Medical Board (Amendment) Bill, 2003 and they are concerned about the content and implications of the Act which proposes to establish a five-member panel, headed by the Chief Medical Officer,  to issue “Special temporary licences” to foreign doctors.

The move is intended to allow easier registration  for Cuban doctors, who have been recruited by the Health Ministry to address the shortage in the health sector. For the past 50 years the Council of the Medical Board had the responsibility of issuing temporary licences. The duration of the licence is based on the type of graduate and their medical school. Licences do not exceed three years. “We have always taken a firm view there has to be a close period of supervision so that we do not put the public at risk. The Medical Board would be negligent in registering persons who we put to practice medicine where their competence is not fully assessed,” said President of the Medical Board Dr Albert Persaud yesterday. A meeting will take place at 9.30 am on Sunday at Amphitheatre A, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex to provide doctors with information and canvass opinion. The feedback will be used to “advise the Minister of Health and Government accordingly whether this type of legislation will enhance the practice and standard of medicine in TT.”

Questioned yesterday about the input of the Medical Board in the changes to be made, Dr Albert Persaud said the Board was aware of the aspects of the Bill to be changed but did not know the “particulars” until the Act was published. He said the Board never received an “official copy” but was sent one from another source. Copies will be distributed to doctors at Sunday’s meeting. “It is only fair when a Bill is to be introduced that the public at large should be able to comment on this and certainly the group of medical practitioners will, of necessity, have very important concerns in a technical and professional sense.” Persaud agreed that it was “unusual” that the Board was not made aware of details before the amendments were made, but he added, “thankfully we have seen it before it was debated in the House.” Attorney General Glenda Morean  brought the Bill to the Senate last month. Persaud hoped that after doctors have highlighted their concerns, those involved in the passage of the Act would make an informed decision.