Doctors assigned to JCF's Medical Services Branch scale back services due to non-payment of fees

 

Doctors assigned to the Medical Services Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force have reportedly scaled back on their duties, including the treatment of patients, due to the non-payment of an on-call allowance for more than two years.

 

Corporal Rohan James, Chairman of the Police Federation, told Radio Jamaica News Monday morning that in recent weeks, the doctors have mainly focused on administrative duties.

 

Corporal James said the stance taken by the doctors comes at a bad time as members of the JCF continue to test positive for COVID-19. 

 

"The impact is that normally, on a daily basis, the Medical Services Branch would see an average of 30 members. That number has been scaled down significantly to an average of between five to ten per day, which means that a number of our members are being compromised as they are not receiving the treatments that they are requiring to get," Corporal James reported. 

 

He said the doctors have explained that the non-payment of the allowance is in contravention of the contract they signed. 

 

Corporal James surmised, based on his checks, that the matter arose because "the Ministry of Finance, not withstanding having received recommendations, held a particular view that they believe that there is no need for on-call allowance to be paid to these doctors."

 

The Police Federation is calling for the Ministry of Finance to quickly resolve the matter.

 

National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang said Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson and Courtney Williams, Permanent Secretary in National Security Ministry, are working to have the issue resolved with the Finance Ministry.

 

Dr. Chang described the situation as unfortunate considering the police officers have been working "very hard, very effectively and very long hours, so they need their medical services on call."