PHA & CPSA NEGOTIATIONS REACH SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION
The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) is pleased to join with the Consultant Physicians Staff Association (CPSA) to announce that both parties have agreed in principle to all aspects of the proposed Industrial Agreement. The process to complete negotiations with respect to the Agreement was completed on Friday, December 14th. All parties are satisfied that the agreement reflects the best interests of healthcare delivery and the Bahamian people.
The Industrial Agreement covers the more than 130 Consultant Physicians engaged by the PHA who practice within the public hospitals and select clinics managed by the Department of Public Health. The agreement will be retroactive from July 1, 2016 until June 30, 2021 once approved formally by the PHA Board.
President of the CPSA, Dr. Locksley Munroe stated, “The CPSA is pleased with our engagement with the PHA at this point in our negotiation process. We are committed to ensure that high quality healthcare is delivered to the Bahamian public. The industrial proposal that we have worked through with the PHA seeks to ensure that this standard of care is not only sustainable but that it continues to improve in the future. The proposal addresses some two hundred clauses which, by in large, we were able to agree to with the PHA rather smoothly. We have also now agreed to the financial clauses that were a point of contention however, we appreciate the economic climate of our country at this time and note that this was by no means the main objective of our industrial agreement. We expect that this agreement will allow senior physicians to have a more vital role in delivering healthcare, partnering with the PHA in the decision-making processes of our healthcare system.”
The PHA and the CPSA are cognizant of the fact that healthcare delivery is a costly exercise and that the Bahamian public serves as vital stakeholders. In that regard, public feedback is crucial to enhancing the patient experience in our healthcare system.
Lyrone Burrows, Deputy Managing Director and lead negotiator for the PHA said, “The PHA continues to maintain open dialogue with the CPSA and all other unions with whom we work, fostering a climate of mutual respect. In all that we do and say, it is paramount the we always puts the patient first. Without the partnership of staff at every level it would be impossible for the PHA to deliver on its mandate to provide quality healthcare for all Bahamians.”
