|
The
U.W.P. notes that this situation is not only causing serious
loss of morale, on the part of staff at the Hospital, but is
leading to a loss of confidence on the part of St. Lucians, in
the capacity of Victoria to meet their need for medical care,
especially emergency medical care. The public is
seriously concerned that the staff of the Hospital is not
being permitted to give care in accordance with their skills.
The
U.W.P. is of the view that the management of the Hospital
system by the Ministry of Health is seriously deficient, and
that both at the policy-making level and the implementation
level the Ministry seems incapable of undertaking the
responsibilities which it has been allocated. Prime
Minister Anthony indicated his awareness of this when, in
winding up the debate on the Budget, he described the
situation at Victoria Hospital as a “mess” - It is
obvious that the situation has only gotten worse since then.
The
UWP therefore proposes that in view of the deteriorating
situation now reaching crisis proportions, Prime Minister
Anthony should take two immediate actions. First in
order to initiate a new approach to dealing with the problems
at the Hospital, new, more sympathetic, and more effective
leadership at the policy level is needed. This means
that the Prime Minister should immediately relieve Minister
for Health Sarah Flood-Beaubrun of her portfolio and make a
fresh appointment to the Ministry.
Secondly,
in order to give the matter the concentrated attention that it
needs, the Prime Minister should mandate a new Minister to
appoint a small Management Committee, comprising senior
medical, nursing and appropriate private sector personnel, to
assume temporary responsibility for the overall management of
the Hospital, and specifically to:
(1)
Review the urgent needs of the Hospital,
(2)
Make recommendations, in consultation with Government, for
securing the necessary financial resources to meet those
needs, and
(3)
Implement a plan of short term recovery, while making
recommendations for the longer term management of the
Hospital.
The
UWP recognises that this is not an orthodox approach to the
present situation at Victoria Hospital, but urges the Prime
Minister to give immediate consideration to it in view of the
crisis situation, which has now become cancerous.
Stephenson
King,
General
Secretary.
|
