Doctors unhappy with new package

After nine months of negotiations, senior doctors are “totally dissatisfied” with the package of new terms and conditions proposed by Joint Negotiating Team (JNT) of Regional Health Authorities. The doctors have given the JNT one month’s notice to present a “reasonable package” or they will not be providing overtime service — after 4 pm Monday to Friday, weekends and public holidays.

In a release yesterday, the doctors’ representative, the Medical Professionals Association of TT (MPATT), said senior doctors expressed their dissatisfaction in a referendum which it conducted. Acting president of MPATT, Dr Lakhan Roop, said the period being negotiated is 2003-2005. He said the package was “totally unacceptable.” He said MPATT was committed to resolving the situation. If senior doctors withdraw their overtime service, junior doctors (house officers) will be left without coverage. This can have repercussions on critical patients. “House officers and interns do not have the training to provide specialty care,” Roop said. While registrars can screen patients and make a diagnosis, it is the senior doctor who provides the specialised treatment.