NERHA to meet with disgruntled medical records staff at St. Ann's Bay Hospital

 

The North-East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) says it has scheduled a meeting for Friday with representatives of the staff of the Medical Records Department at the St. Ann's Bay Regional Hospital following a sickout on Tuesday.

 

Staff of the department called in sick over what they said are severe health and safety issues stemming from deplorable working conditions.

 

They returned to work on Thursday after NERHA wrote to their union, the Union of Technical Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP).

 

On July 12, a fire damaged parts of the Medical Records Department, however, UTASP says the staff is still required to access the file room, despite recommendations from firefighters that the room remains hazardous until a thorough cleaning has been conducted.

 

The union says the cleaning is yet to take place.

 

In a media release Thursday, NERHA said it has engaged with UTASP to address the concerns of the health records team.

 

UTASP President St. Patrice Ennis told Radio Jamaica News that after receiving a letter from the hospital's CEO, the union encouraged the workers to resume duties, despite the many challenges.

 

"The letter provided a detailed account of proposed solution to each of the complaints from the workers and also provided proposed timeline for this completion of work to be done. It also invited the union as well as the staff to a meeting with the management of the hospital to see how we could collaborate on matters affecting the staff, as well as to see how we can avoid such issue and dispute in the future," he noted, adding that the union has responded to the letter, agreeing to meet.