Dawes criticises fast-tracking of junior health workers to fill senior staff shortages

By Nakinskie Robinson    

 

Shadow Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Alfred Dawes is criticising the practice of expediting junior health care workers from their orientation programme, to fill the gap of senior nurses across the country.

 

His criticism follows last week's industrial action by laboratory technicians and nurses in the South East Regional Health Authority.

 

Dr. Dawes says the reassignment of junior health workers was used to stave off the full catastrophe that could have been experienced during last week's sick-out by the health care professionals. 

 

However, he argues that during these periods, extreme danger is posed to patients as the most skilled professionals are often the ones whose services are withdrawn.

  

"That is unfair to those [junior] nurses and it is dangerous. We all know in the medical fraternity worldwide that July is the month where you have the most medical errors taking place because that is when students graduate and interns get promoted. This is simply because inexperience can translate into medical errors," he outlined. 

 

While Jamaica does not have the statistics, Dr. Dawes said in the United States medical errors are a leading cause of death. 

 

"It's just something that is not talked about. So you have to make sure that the staff who are taking care of your patients are adequately trained, have adequate experience and are adequately supervised. That was not the case last week," he reasoned. 

 

Several categories of nurses assigned to hospitals in the South East Health Region called in sick on January 12, reportedly over a lengthy wait for retroactive payments for sessional work.

 

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Dawes said there are several issues regarding contract work in the health sector that need be speedily addressed. 

  

"What you have are still contract workers who they don't have pension. Because what has happened is that we have made a lot of people who are not pensionable, now qualified for a pension. So we have kicked a can down the road in an ageing population as to who is going to cover those pensions. Contract workers working doing the same job as those who have posts, that's still an issue," he asserted. 

 

Additionally, he complained that although many workers would want to upgrade themselves and get promotions, the opportunities to do so "are just not there". 

 

Dr. Dawes was a guest Monday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106.