The National Health Commission (NHC) has recommended the removal of clause 32 in the Hospital Authority Draft Bill which seeks to have some health workers placed on a three-year contract.
Deputy Chair of the NHC, Jennifer Astaphan, said at a press conference yesterday, that the Commission took that decision in light of “the confusion and misunderstanding” brought about by sections of the bill.
DPSU General Secretary Thomas Letang stated, after a meeting with health workers to discuss the draft bill, that the in the proposed arrangement, new or non-appointed persons within that field would now be placed on a three year contract which, he said, the members indicated is not the way to improve efficiency and performance in the public service.
“So persons such as nurses, doctors, ward aids, domestic workers, pharmacists, lab technologists, whoever they are, coming into that line of work, they will never be able to go to the bank and negotiate a loan without being employed for no more than three years,” he said.
Apparently, this concern did not fall on deaf ears.
Astaphan said that another of the commission’s main recommendations is to amend the reporting arrangement at the hospital to have the Hospital Services Coordinator, Hospital Medical Director and Matron report to a board, through a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), instead of an administrator at the Ministry of Health, in order to consolidate accountability.
She said the board is of that view that the introduction of the new departments such as human resource, quality management, finance and budgeting and engineering, will also serve in enhancing the delivery of quality care in a modern 21st century hospital facility.
“This is all in an effort to bring decision making regarding patient care, diagnostic services and procurement of equipment and supplies closer to the center of patient care,” the deputy chair noted.
The commission has sought to solicit views and comment from various stakeholders and the public by embarking on a series of public sensitization efforts together with participation via zoom of forty-five stakeholders groups including the cabinet of Dominica and all parliamentarians. This commenced in June and ended on September 15th with a public radio simulcast and call-in programme.
“The Commission anticipates that this health sector reform programme that included the establishment of an autonomous model of governance will lead to the creation of the Dominica Hospital Authority by December 2020,” Astaphan said.
She said the Chief Legal drafter was present throughout the zoom consultation, and common issues and key concerns that emerged have been noted and are being given due consideration for inclusion or amendment of the legislation such as the issue of contract, security of tenure, power of the CEO and preservation of staff benefits.
“The Commission reiterates that its mandate is to preserve and ensure that its advice is in accordance with international principles and best practice,” Astaphan stressed. “The commission wishes to emphasize that there is no recommendation for the privitization of the hospital and that no one will be denied health care because of inablity to pay for service and that a non discrimination clause has been included in the draft bill.”
The NHC was appointed by the Government of Dominica as a policy advisory body to assess the status of, and to make recommendations for, the improvement of the health services in the commonwealth of Dominica.
Given the several concerns expressed by patients, the public and various stakeholders regarding the quality of health services and the challenges experienced at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, the commission’s mandate has been directed to a strategic focus on improvement of care at that facility.
To this end, the commission has recommended that the policy framework to guide the legislative change should encompass an improvement in the Governance structure together with a focus on accreditation of the facility and human resources development.
Four pieces of legislation will guide the initial implementation of this reform agenda . The Dominica Hospital Authority Bill,, the Medical Professional Bill, The nursing Professional Bill and the Pharmacy bill. One Outstanding piece of legislation is the allied health personnel bill.
The intention is to create a modern approach to hospital care and to the development of health professionals through regular continuing education. The main goal of the reform is to ensure that the Dominican populace receives the quality of care from the sole public hospital on the island.
This group has failed the PM, when he feels you will do a great job on his behalf you go about without thought and with your pompous selves without meaningful consultation with the people most impacted, health care workers themselves. Instead you find yourselves back tracking and now trying to save face. That’s not a way to di anything just because you are doctors.
” The main goal of the reform is to ensure that the Dominican populace receives the quality of care from the sole public hospital on the island.” Pure unadulterated propaganda.
Average age is 78. Most can participate in an hour long meeting but definitely have a task on their hands to keep Dr. Shillingford awake. Surely a place could be found for the views of say a 30 year worker to perform this menial job. But as usual there is no place in the inn for youth. Only in DA !!!!
we don’t employ people to take loans, you take care of the company, we make profit, we renew your contract, get promotion with pay rise. you are a chair warmer what do you expect, go home and use your own chair.
This administration seems to claim best international practice when and where it looks fit to them but the only real best international practice is to empower the people so that they could solve their issues in a civil manner. This board which is made up of known members of the Dominica labour party does not reflect civil society but the ideals of labour party. There should be diversity in the membership in order to reflect civil society and this is exactly why we have a constitution. Mr Eliud Williams as ex-president of Dominica, member of labour party or not should be ashamed of himself to partake in such a masquerade and sham of democracy. More so as the former custodian of the ultimate office to protect democracy, Eliud, this is very telling on you as an individual and where you interest lies, which surely is not in the furtherance of democracy or our nation.
I would really like to know about the framework which was able to create and empower this hospital commission, what laws govern this commission? How are the members selected? Why is an ex-president on the commission?
Time will tell.
@Zaboca
“So not one young person can be part of the Board?”
There is no room nor tolerance for the young, the independent or objective thinker and true patriots in Skerrit’s scheme of things. Only his most ardent loyalists and enablers are carefully handpicked to sit on a Board.
To reiterate, only the fiercest loyalists of the MONOCRAT are allowed to occupy a seat at the table. You could have more degrees than a thermometer that is meaningless in Skerrit’s autocratically controlled Dominica.
Just another tool to control people and keep them in line. Think about it.
Bad legislation is part and parcel of bad governments. In recent times, every bill that is taken before the Dominican parliament is not to empower the masses but to give Skerrit and his rogues more control over the country’s resources and affairs. The enactment of these bills into laws are like a tightening noose around the people’s neck. They are suffocating.
Remember you’ve been warned that everything Skerrit does is conscientiously done for political advantageousness. When was the last time this corrupt Administration passed laws in parliament that were genuinely beneficial to the common man and woman? I bet you can’t remember?
So not one young person can be a part of the Board?
Obviously. Imagine a new Dr. living out of the Roseau area being on call, but cannot go to the bank to get a loan to buy a vehicle to get to work because they have no contract, only on probation for 3 years.
As far as I know, people working on contract generally can qualify for a loan as long as they can show 3 years of continuous employment and is performing their job well. A doctor is obviously skilled and expected to always be employed, whether or not on contract and even self-employed through private practice.
Besides, people not on contract can get terminated too, you know.
Breather this is what is happening. this is what they want to get rid off. I personally think it absolute nonsense. As a trained qualified Dr., i must wait 3 years while performing alll my required duties before i can take a loan to buy a vehicle just so i can get to my job? Also, no loan officer asks whether you are doing/performing your job well or not. Sometimes Dr’s are on call on weekends (inclusive of Sundays) and times when public transportation does not run. what was proposed by the hospital is that probation will be for a period of 3 years if i am not mistaken. During that probationary period you have no solid employment, you are on probation. They then came back and said no…this makes absolutely no sense.