At last! Doctors put patients first

Health Minister John Rahael yesterday said he is happy Regional Health Authority doctors are working and now put patient care “ahead of everything else.” He said the Ministry is willing to work as a team with stakeholders for the benefit of the patient and delivering quality care.

Speaking to the media at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex yesterday, following the delivery of the first shipment of diagnostic equipment, Rahael said he is aware that approximately 40 doctors have signed new contracts. At the end of last month the RHAs began offering new terms and conditions to doctors whose contracts expired on December 31, 2002. However, some doctors have opted not to sign because they want negotiations to go to arbitration. These doctors have decided to continue working under their old terms for one month while arbitration takes place.

Rahael said the doctors without new contracts are seeking a meeting with Dr Lenny Saith, Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Health. He said Saith has been out of the country but he thought a meeting would take place as soon as possible because doctors who have not signed have agreed to work for one month. Rahael said he expected the doctors’ representatives “will do all they think they need to do to improve the package they hope to sign.” However, he reiterated his earlier view that the offer is the “best package the RHAs, CPO and Ministry could have come up with.” Despite this, Rahael said the doctors are entitled to meet with Minister Saith.

Questioned about the likelihood of changes being made in the contracts offered by the RHAs since some doctors have signed, Rahael said he did not want to preempt what would happen at the meeting. “What I can tell you though are the doctors who have signed will not be disadvantaged, because it is important for those doctors who have signed if there is any improvement in the contract, those doctors who have signed will benefit from it. We will wait and see,” he said.