NWRHA chairman quizzed about doctors’ private practice in hospitals

The Board of Directors of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) yesterday found themselves unable to answer many of the questions put to it, when members appeared before the Joint Select Committee on Government Ministries. Chairman Hugh Eastman responding to the question from Mary King, chairperson of the Committee, about the time NWRHA doctors spent at hospitals versus their private practice, answered, “I am not sure we can effectively answer that question.” This response was repeated many times during the almost three-hour long session in the Parliament Chamber. During questioning, Eastman said he found out that some doctors had their private practice housed at hospitals, but had been unable to verify this and could not say how much the NWRHA benefitted from this situation.

However, he added, if this was happening, the NWRHA was getting “very little.” Providing further information, VP Legal and Regulatory Services, Wendy Ramkerrysingh said guidelines for conducting private practice in the hospitals were established in 2001 and a fee system developed from which the NWRHA received 15 percent. She said there was also a system of collection by the NWRHA. Ramkerrysingh said the doctors engaged in their private practice after 4 pm. Eastman said the system has to be monitored to ensure the NWRHA got “value for money.” The Ministry of Health’s representative Valerie Alleyne-Rawlins sought to clarify the situation saying the arrangement with doctors was only at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex “a fee for service.”

The NWRHA had attempted to have the appearance before the Committee postponed to October or November to give it sufficient time “to adequately prepare to respond to pertinent questions.” This request was not granted. In a release the NWRHA said it was notified only last Wednesday to appear before the Committee. In requesting the postponement, the Chairman gave three reasons - the Acting Chief Executive Officer (whose formal post was Vice President Finance) and Senior Vice President, Corporate Services resigned with immediate effect on August 5; the newly appointed acting CEO, fomerly  Senior Vice-President of Health Services is on vacation and out of the country, and the new VP Finance is new to the position, since he has been with the NWRHA for only five months. The letter to King also said the Board was still familiarising itself with conditions, programmes and policies of the NWRHA and was not in a position to answer questions on documents sent by the former CEO.

Proceedings began at 2.50 pm (50 minutes late because despite the presence of five members the absence of a representative from the Lower House member meant the Committee did not have a quorum), the Chairman reiterated the concerns stated in the letter. He indicated that recent developments resulted in “an almost totally depleted senior management” and the Board was not in a position to respond “in depth” to questions coming from documents sent to the Committee. He said the Board was told that postponement was not possible but they would receive a copy of the questions required so they could prepare for the next meeting. “The Chairman and rest of the Board had only been appointed in May so we are going through a learning experience and familarising ourselves with NWHRA.” Eastman said he was performing the functions of an executive chairman because of the acting CEO’s absence and because other senior personnel were either in acting positions or inexperienced.

Committee member Senator Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan asked the Chairman if it was not more prudent to have someone in charge and accountable at this time. Eastman said, “It is something the Board will look at urgently but at this point I am not in a position to say which executive should be in that position. Most of the executives we have are functioning in a junior level.” Seepersad-Bachan said his response was tantamount to saying there was no executive. Eastman said the major problem at the NWRHA is the absence of a cadre of effective, experienced senior management. He said the NWRHA was seeking a CEO, a VP Human Resource and a VP Finance. No formal request was made to the Health Ministry for assistance, but it has provided an experienced accountant to assist.