RHAs put ‘best foot forward’

The compensation package for registrars (junior doctors) is “very good” and the Regional Health Authorities are hoping that doctors will accept their final offer for the period 2003-2005.

Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Team (JNT) of RHAs, Imtiaz Ahamad, was hopeful yesterday. He said doctors should look carefully at the full package which is for 2003-2005. While the contract comprises several clauses, he said the overall package is “worth their while.” The Ministry of Labour has been mediating between the RHAs and doctors on the issues of overtime allowances (in excess of 16 hours), gratuity and compensatory days. Over a week ago, the RHA adjusted its offer for overtime and the doctors’ representatives took the issue back to the junior doctors for discussion. The other issues are still outstanding.

Ahamad said the RHAs were able to make one positive change in its offer and they also indicated their stance on the “whole matter.” Ahamad said the best possible package was presented and this was made clear to the doctors’ representatives (members of the Medical Professionals Associa-tion). “We have had enough turmoil for 2003, we have presented them with a total package which is very good.” As soon as the doctors sign they are to benefit from arrears from the past 12 months. Ahamad said this will be addressed in the “shortest period of time.” Last Friday, the South West Regional Health Authority began distributing the new contract to its doctors in keeping with Ahamad’s statement two weeks ago announcing that contracts would be ready before December 31.

Meanwhile, the North West and Eastern RHAs are preparing “letters of modification” indicating the terms of the contract to present to their doctors. Contracts will subsequently be prepared for doctors to sign. Ahamad said the two different approaches were made because they felt the system in place made it easier to handle through these means. MPATT continued meeting with doctors yesterday following meetings last Friday in response to  the SWRHA contract offer. Dr Lakhan Roop, the vice-president of MPATT, said the doctors will decide “what they will do.” Contracts for doctors in the Regional Health Authorities expired on December 31, 2002 and doctors have been working with letters of extension of the terms of their old contracts. Negotiations between doctors and the JNT have been taking place intermittently since January. During this time hospitals and health centres were functioning in emergency mode after doctors sought to show their dissatisfaction with the JNT’s offer and the slow pace of negotiations. Last May the salary offer proposed by the JNT was accepted but a contract had not been signed due to the outstanding issues to be resolved.