Nurses to sit on health boards

BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com

Monday, February 20, 2012

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson announced that the Portia Simpson Miller-led political administration has taken a decision to include a nurse on the board of each of the four regional health authorities.

"I want to say to the nurses that for the first time, having met with the Nurses Association (of Jamaica), a decision has been taken to place a nurse on the board of all four regional health authorities. We believe you have the numbers, the professional skills, you are a major stakeholder in the sector and I believe the time has come that you must have representation at the highest levels in the region," Dr Ferguson said.

Dr Ferguson reiterated that the no-user fee policy now in place will remain in effect at the island's public hospitals until there is a review of the policy and the introduction of a government health card.

The health minister was, however, firm in his stance that the no-user fee policy will make way to one in which those who can afford to pay for the service will be required to do so.

"Let me make it very clear, especially for the press, that the new policy will not come on board before, one: the review of the no-user fee policy. Secondly, when we would have put in place the Government health card because we believe that at the secondary level those who have the ability to pay, ought to pay," Dr Ferguson said.

"There are persons who don't like to hear it but I am saying why should you have health insurance and when you go to private doctors you use it, but when you come to the public space you want it for free?" Dr Ferguson asked.

In the meantime, the health minister announced that Government will be introducing a waiver system to ensure that patients who cannot afford to pay will not be denied access to the health service.

He was speaking on Friday at the Cornwall Regional Hospital following a tour of the facility where he was besieged by patients' complaints over the long periods that they have to wait before they are attended to by medical personnel.

The health minister revealed that in going forward, Government will place emphasis on improving services at the 317 health centres across Jamaica to ease the pressure off the 24 public hospitals where patients constantly endure long waiting times.

"If you begin to develop your (health) centres by also offering diagnostic tests, and giving pharmaceutical care, then the pressure that I have witnessed in this institution here today, whether it is accident and emergency or elsewhere, with a proper functioning primary care system, much of the pressure which we are seeing would not be.

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Nurses to sit on health boards