Guy calls for Tufton to resolve hiring dispute at Cornwall Regional Hospital
Published:Friday | January 6, 2023 | 1:57 PM
Opposition Spokesperson on Health and Wellness, Dr Morais Guy, is calling for Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton to immediately intervene in the hiring disagreement between doctors and the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in St James.
Guy said the dispute arose following a career advertisement over one month ago in a local newspaper by the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) seeking the services of qualified individuals to fill 10 MO-1 positions to meet the hospital's needs.
However, the management of the CRH has flatly rejected the applications, stating that there are no vacancies at the institution to accommodate the doctors, according to Guy.
He also noted that these are the same doctors for whom contracts were not renewed, which sparked an ongoing dispute with the health authorities.
He stated further that, as far as he was aware, the doctors were qualified and should be engaged.
"It is evident that there is a disconnect between the WRHA and the CRH regarding the hospital's need at this time, and therefore the Minister must intervene to resolve the issue," Guy opined in a statement today.
“The overall interests of the public must be paramount in ensuring that any internal disagreement does not compromise their ability to access quality care and services,” he argued.
The opposition spokesperson said the CRH and the public hospital network should not be placed in a position of weakness due to the lack of adequate personnel and equipment to carry out their functions.
He added that the situation is of concern because there remains the threat of new COVID variants, respiratory illnesses, and other health issues, which could trigger an unexpected demand on the system.
“The vacancies must be filled immediately to bolster the capacity of the hospital to deal with its challenges.”
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