...but want Trinidade reinstated

Junior doctors have agreed to the salary increase offered by the Regional Health Authorities “in the interest of the public, and under some duress,” they said and are prepared to return to work but first they want the immediate reinstatement of Dr Austin Trinidade as Medical Chief of Staff (MCS) of the San Fernando General Hospital. Dr Trinidade was told last week by the Ministry of Health to proceed on his outstanding compensatory leave.

In a media release the Medical Professionals Association of TT (MPATT) said the Acting MCS, Dr Anand Chatoorgoon was unacceptable “in view of his villification of doctors, his intimidation and his abuse of authority while in office.” MPATT, which is representing the doctors, held meetings at the Port-of-Spain and San Fernando General Hospitals yesterday to get a response for the final proposal tabled by the Joint Team of Regional Health Authorities last Wednesday. Dr Lakhan Roop, MPATT’s Assistant Secretary, said doctors accepted the major points of the RHA proposal including a basic salary of $8,600 and some allowances.

Agreement could not be reached regarding overtime allowances (in excess of 16 hours per week), payment for work done on call, during ward rounds on weekends and public holidays and change of contract from two to three years and subsequently the deferment of gratuity payment. These will be referred to the Ministry of Labour for mediation. Roop said at the San Fernando meeting 80 doctors signed a petition which will be sent to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Hamid O’Brien asking for Dr Trinidade to be reinstated. An agreement has been prepared by the RHAs for signing but a number of clauses are to be clarified. MPATT expects mediation to be concluded by the end of this month so an agreement could be signed. Major hospitals have been operating in emergency mode for over a month after junior doctors whose contracts expired last December 31 stopped working as a show of dissatisfaction with the RHAs’ proposals and the slow pace of negotiations.