The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) wishes to address concerns raised by the President of the Consultant Physician Staff Association (CPSA).
PHA management has consistently fulfilled its obligations by providing regular updates and engaging with CPSA executives. Both parties have reached agreements on all non-financial articles, which have been signed. The remaining financial articles are under review by the Financial Secretary following three rounds of counter proposals focused on establishing commitments that are both reasonable and sustainable. While CPSA has not yet agreed to these terms, management has maintained open communication, attended all scheduled meetings, and never paused negotiations.
PHA leadership had never denied or misrepresented the challenges related to physician, nursing, or allied health professional shortages, a global issue impacting healthcare. To address this, PHA continues proactive recruitment across all disciplines, with the latest group of nurses arriving in the Bahamas this week. Currently, two cohorts are enrolled in the PHA Academy, 41 new graduate nurses have been onboarded, and local training and scholarships for postgraduate specialty training are actively offered.
In alignment with PHA policy, all employees, including the Managing Director, are required to clock in and out, with no exceptions.
Management is not aware of any instances where physicians have personally covere patient medication costs. When medications are unavailable due to requests fo non-stock items, shortages, or global demand, the PHA has consistently made and will continue to make every effort to expedite procurement or provide suitable alternatives.
PHA is aware of the recent strike vote and notes that trade disputes have been filed twice, with the latest meeting held on Thursday, October 24, 2024, during which CPSA was not in attendance.
We acknowledge certain infrastructure challenges, including issues with air conditioning, which are being actively addressed, with many already resolved. As we progress toward developing a tertiary institution, we are prioritizing projects to ensure that the existing Princess Margaret Hospital provides a safe and functional environment for both patients and staff during construction.
PHA remains committed to fostering positive change and upholding honesty and transparency in all its operations.
