Social workers abandoned by Health Ministry

This view was stated by Tara Rahamut, Medical Social Worker II at the San Fernando General Hospital who was speaking on behalf of her colleagues at SFGH, PoSGH, Mt Hope Women’s, Hansen’s Disease Control Unit, Queen’s Park Counselling Centre, Sangre Grande Hospital, and other areas. Speaking to the Commission of Inquiry into the Operations and Delivery of the Public Health Services at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) yesterday, Rahamut said MSWs have fallen onto hard times.

She said since 1984 a “comprehensive proposal” was submitted to the Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry for the expansion and restructuring of MSW departments. Rahamut said a downturn in the economy the following year mitigated against implementation.

She said revised proposals were sent to the ministry in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2005 and 2006.

Rahamut said, “We are still awaiting action. The effort has yielded no results.” She said at a meeting, the proposal was described as “over ambitious.” She said this showed a complete lack of understanding of the interviews, counselling sessions, home visits, letters, telephone contacts etc required to manage one case.

Rahamut said there are 25 medical social workers in the ministry (four are at range two and 21 are at range one) who must cover from Icacos to Valencia. She said, “due to the negligence of the Ministry of Health and Service Commission Department” there are no Medical Social Workers at the National Radiotherapy Centre, St George Central, Sangre Grande Hospital, and County St Patrick which have been without continuous medical service for the past two years.

Rahamut said Caura Hospital and Mt Hope Women’s have no Medical Social Worker I, while SFGH had one MSW one and two for the past six weeks.

Rahamut said at primary health level, MSWs were expected to provide service to health centres and district health facilities. She said, “The Medical Social Worker for County Victoria must cover Moruga to Claxton Bay. Nariva/Mayaro I believe it’s from Manzanilla to Guayaguayare.”

She said Victoria and St Patrick each had one MSW who provided service for the 14 health centres in each district. Rahamut said inadequate staffing and absence of leave relief have resulted in: a limited presence at health facilities, inadequate home visits, lack of follow-up visits and orientation of new staff, inadequate recording and supervision, negative effects on decision making and productivity.

She said, “We have unmanageble case loads.”

Rahamut said at any time one Medical Social Worker had to juggle up to 100 cases, ranging from child abuse/neglect, teen pregnancy to accessing funds for colostomy bags. SFGH medical social work department saw 1,500 cases in 2004-2005. Rahamut said the structure and reporting system have resulted in the isolation of officers, inequitable distribution of staff and lack of promotional opportunities. She said the salaries received by MSWs were “exploitive.” Rahamut said the starting salary for an MSW1 was $5,554 and after working for 33 years to the highest level, the MSW will earn $7,858.