Jamaica\'s Medical Consultants to meet Minister of Health
Published:Friday | February 20, 2009 | 7:15 AM
Government medical consultants are hoping to have their grouses regarding the National Chest Hospital review panel addressed when they meet with Health Minister, Rudyard Spencer early next week.
The consultants are claiming that there were breaches in the manner in which the seven member panel chaired by attorney at law Charles Piper conducted its review.
The consultants say the approach for addressing breaches in practice by doctors as set out by the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) was not followed.
The review has implicated cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Dennis Pyne claiming that he engaged in unethical practices.
The medical consultants believe that Dr Pyne was not afforded a fair opportunity in the process of the review.
The Health Minister Rudyard Spencer has referred the findings of the review to the Attorney General’s Office for advice.
Checks with SERHA revealed that the normal course of action where complaints have been made against a medical practitioner, is for the individual to be given a warning, first verbally, then in writing by the senior medical officer at the institution.
The matter is then brought to the attention of the parish manager then the regional authority and the health ministry.
The consultants say they will also be calling for the reinstatement of Dr. Pyne.
The senior doctors had earlier called for the President of the Medical Association of Jamaica, Dr. Rosemarie Wright Pascoe and the President of the Association of Government Consultants, Dr. Lambert Innis to step down from their posts.
The two were among four medical practitioners on the review panel.
The others are Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sheila Campbell-Forrester and President of the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association, Dr. Merton Smith.
At a meeting of the consultants’ association on Tuesday, Dr. Innis was replaced by Dr. Orville Morgan.
In the meantime the Gleaner Power 106 News has learnt that Dr. Wright-Pascoe, Dr. Innis and Dr. Smith have been drafted to the technical sub committee of the board of SERHA.
The committee oversees the technical operations within the regional authority.