Doctors’ impasse results in confrontation in South

The current health impasse between doctors and the Regional Health Authorities yesterday resulted in confrontation involving the acting medical chief of staff at San Fernando General Hospital and consultant doctors, after consultants took a decision not to admit new patients.

But Anand Chatoorgoon, Ag Medical Chief, yesterday responded by informing nurses on the various wards that they are not to refuse patients’ admittance unless he is first notified. This, after six consultants who are Heads of Department, informed the Head of the Accident and Emergency department, Dr Stephen Ramroop, that their respective wards would not be accepting new admissions of patients.

The letter, addressed to Ramroop, stated: “Please be advised that with the present health crisis, each department is now seriously short staffed. As a result the following departments will not be accepting new admissions to the respective wards/floor.” The consultants are: Drs Jehan Ali (Obstetrics and Gynaecology); Steve Medford (Ear Nose Throat); Lester Goetz (Surgery/Subspecialities); Kanterpersad Ramcharan (Medicine); Patrick Harnarayan (Surgery); RP Maharaj (Orthopaedics); Rajindra Parag (Paediatric medicine). But almost immediately following the letter, Ag medical chief of staff Chatoorgoon summoned a meeting of Ramroop and the hospital’s nursing supervisor to discuss the action taken.

Contacted yesterday, Chatoorgoon told Newsday that the decision was taken that notwithstanding the letter, the hospital would continue admitting patients. He said that instructions have been sent to all nurses on the wards to the effect that no patient is to be refused admittance and whenever it occurs, his office should be informed. The consultants, he added, had no authority to call upon Ramroop as head of A&E not to send patients to the wards. Chatoorgoon further advised nurses yesterday that if any patient is admitted but is not attended to by a doctor, his (Chatoorgoon’s) office staff should be informed.

Chatoorgoon further stated that while he was in no way criticising the struggle which the doctors had waged over salary increments, he had a duty to ensure patient care was delivered. “Even if it means eliciting the services of private doctors,” he said. In fact, Chatoorgoon said, he engaged the help of a doctor to assist on ward 11 yesterday but a certain unpleasant situation occurred. “When the doctor went to the ward, he was intimidated and he felt very uncomfortable,” Chatoorgoon said. The Ag medical chief reiterated that the incident had shelved the hospital’s plans to recruit private doctors in the event doctors continue to call in sick. Chatoorgoon said that all the wards functioned adequately yesterday and there was no need to transfer patients to private nursing homes.