Disgruntled medical technologists could continue protest

 

Hospitals in the western region have moved to outsourcing the investigation of blood tests to private facilities as medical technologists remained off the job for a second day. 

 

Medical technologists at Cornwall Regional, Falmouth and Savanna-la-Mar hospitals are upset about longstanding concerns over their welfare and working conditions. 

 

This group of workers perform critical blood investigations that support the work of clinicians in diagnosing and treating patients. 

 

Dr. Delroy Fray, Clinical coordinator for the Western Regional Health Authority, said persons awaiting blood test results should expect delays until normal operations resume.

 

Meanwhile, St. Patrice Ennis, President of the Union of Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP), said the medical technologists are dissatisfied with the assurance given Monday evening by the Western Regional Health Authority, which is why the workers continued their protest. 

 

"And so those matters that [the medical technologists] would attend to in the normal course of duties, those functions have been severely curtailed, as I understand it, at this time. I await further updates from either the region or the ministry," noted Mr. Ennis, who was unable to say when the medtechs will end their protest action.

 

"What we want is for persons who have not or are still not doing what they are supposed to be doing, to be held accountable, because in no way shape or form I can explain how is it that you are still talking about procurement for lab coats and other PPE when those workers should not have even started on day one without the requisite personal protective equipment. And then two years after, you're saying you're in discussions or you are still in procurement matters. What we want... [are] some realistic timelines...as to when some of these things will be put in place," Mr. Ennis maintained.