The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A STAFF sick out at public hospitals in New Providence and Grand Bahama severely affected healthcare services on the islands for a fourth day, the Public Hospitals Authority said yesterday.

The recent industrial action involves about 150-200 staff at Princess Margaret Hospital and Grand Bahama Health Services, who did not receive honorariums for the work they did at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This comes amid public criticism that Health Minister Renward Wells’ driver and personal assistant received honorariums of $1,158.40, which a union leader called a “slap in the face”.

 Last month, the Ministry of Health announced frontline staff workers who were promised honorariums would receive payments ranging from about $1,000 to $5,000. At the time, Mr Wells also said the government had allocated $3m for the gift.

 After Mr Wells last week announced that all of the honorariums had been paid, some employees became disgruntled when they learnt they were not among those who would be receiving the incentive.

 In a statement issued on Friday, the Public Hospitals Authority addressed the frustrations of staff, but maintained that not all workers meet the criteria established by Cabinet to receive honorariums.

  “The Public Hospitals Authority is aware of the current employee unrest throughout the organisation related to the disbursement of honoraria by the government,” the statement said. “While the unrest has forced the suspension of some services due to staff shortages, the Authority wishes to clarify the criteria for the payment of the honorarium as stipulated by the government of the Bahamas. Further for the purpose of clarity, not all employees meet the criteria as established by the Cabinet for payment of this honorarium.”

 PHA said the honorarium was originally intended for a subset of frontline healthcare employees who, “when most healthcare workers were hesitant and declined to serve in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,” offered to work.

 Subsequently, the government expanded eligibility to include additional cadres of staff, some working in clinical and non-clinical settings, during the period March 19–June 18, 2020.

 PHA has received approximately $1.4 million from the Ministry of Health for payment of this honorarium. The group said eligible employees have and will be receiving payments in the following categories.

 Tier 1: Employees that willingly volunteered in advance of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. PHA said these disbursements commenced August 13, 2021 in amounts up to $5,000 and will be concluded on August 16.

 Tier 2: Employees that volunteered at, or after, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 These are workers that did not volunteer but were required to work as their job functions were directly related to COVID-19 management, PHA said. Disbursements for Tier 2 will commence following the completion of August 2021 payroll activities and is expected to be concluded within five business days, officials said.

 It remains unclear whether the sickout will continue during the remainder of the week. The Tribune made several attempts to reach out to Bahamas Public Service Union President Kimsley Ferguson for an update on the situation; however, all efforts to contact him were unsuccessful.

 However, he told Our News on Friday it was a “slap in the face” that people who were not in the immediate COVID-19 response received an honorarium and called for clarity on the criteria for these payouts.

 As for those who may criticise the healthcare workers for their actions in the middle of a pandemic, the union leader told Our News: “I want us to look at the fact that these people are placing themselves and their families in grave danger. . .I cannot slight them for taking whatever action they are taking because these persons want to be properly compensated.”

 Yesterday, the PHA said while the affected healthcare facilities have implemented measures to mitigate the effects of staff shortages where possible, they wanted to remind the public to “expect delays” in accessing some services at these institutions.

 “PMH has experienced fluctuations in the reporting in of clinical staff,” the PHA said. “PMH Laboratory Services has reported staff shortages resulting in delays in services. (The) Radiology Department is experiencing service delays as a result of staff shortages. Emergency CT scans are being referred to Oak Tree Medical Centre. Morgue services are suspended until further notice. Efforts are being made to expedite the release of remains.”

 PHA added shortages in reference to housekeeping services are being addressed by a contracted private housekeeping company.

 As it relates to GBHS Community Health Services, PHA said community clinics were closed over the weekend but remained on-call for emergencies. Nursing services at the Rand Memorial Hospital have also resumed.

 “RMH Diagnostic and Laboratory services are provided on an on-call basis over the weekend and are not impacted by staff shortages,” the statement continued. “Switchboard operations continue to be impacted. Staff shortages reference housekeeping services are being addressed by the contracted private housekeeping company. At the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre all Departments are operating as scheduled and the institution continues to provide services to patients uninterrupted.”

Regarding the situation in Grand Bahama, RMH Hospital Administrator Sharon Williams said the sick out resulted in the postponement of surgeries and other healthcare services at the public health institution, which is also experiencing a bed shortage due to the rise in COVID-19 cases on the island.

In a report on ZNS, Ms Williams reported the hospital is experiencing full bed capacity.

“We have 90 beds and three beds are in our Paediatric Ward. I cannot put an adult or COVID patient on our Paediatric Ward,” she said.

“Today (Friday), we would have seen some six persons waiting in the Emergency Room for beds, with COVID. And so, we had 30 yesterday. We are now in excess of 30 patients.”

Ms Williams said the ER has been over-subscribed.

“There are too many patients waiting in our ER as we speak. . .We are trying as much as possible to triage patients and know their status as quickly as possible so we can treat them accordingly,” she added.

A resident of Abaco who had to fly her loved one to Grand Bahama for medical treatment said her relative’s surgery was put off because of the sick out.

The woman said that her mother, who suffered from diabetic complications, was referred by the Marsh Harbour Clinic to the Rand Memorial Hospital for treatment.

“This sick out is impactful and these are people’s lives, and it is critical. It needs to be resolved because you can’t get in to see family members. I have not seen my mother for three days. It is stressful on families. I am also empathetic for the nurses, they are overworked, stressed and working in a dangerous environment,” she said.