SERHA concerned about confrontation at Bustamante Hospital

South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) says it strongly opposes any form of abuse of public health staff.

Recently, Councillor for the Trafalgar Division in South East St Andrew, Kari Douglas, and a medical doctor at the Bustamante Hospital for Children were involved in a stand-off with a which triggered a shutdown of the Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit for two hours.

Douglas took her eight-month-old son to the hospital because he was reportedly roasting with fever but was told, after triage, that his case was not deemed an emergency.

This reportedly led to a confrontation.

READ: PNP councillor, doctor clash

It is further reported that while the doctor was assessing another child Douglas barged into the room and closed the door.

It is said that when the doctor attempted to exit, Douglas blocked her path and fired a volley of expletives in protest.

SEHRA says while it understands the anxiety of patients who visit health facilities, particularly the Bustamante Hospital, the triage system is in place to ensure that medical cases are properly categorised and prioritised such that the appropriate resources are allocated to treat with the level of urgency.

It further says that the A&E is geared towards treating emergency and urgent cases.

The authority says its team continues to work assiduously to address the  issues of increased patient load and resultant
waiting time presently facing the hospital.

It says it remains committed to providing medical care to all who seek treatment at its  institutions.

Existing infrastructure will be used to support on-going investigations and further enhance the security elements where required to prevent recurrence, SEHRA said.

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