Head of the T&T Registered Nurses Association (TTRNA) Idi Stuart is claiming that all regional health authorities have implemented a series of human resource measures without consultation.
This follows the announcement of a State of Emergency and curfew by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on Saturday.
Stuart told GML that “Some of the RHA’s are switching all shifts to 12 hours without any kind of negotiation or consultation.”
He said: “It is not legal. At the South West Regional Health Authority, they have a contract which states their hours of work are eight hours a day or 40 hours per week.”
He said a What’sApp message was circulated to nursing staff on May 15–informing them of the extended hours effective immediately.
Stuart with these types of shifts, there is now the issue of transportation of health personnel to and from work.
He said: “Most RHA’s have a number of vehicles at their disposal or they can hire some of these maxi taxis to take home persons or to a closer point. Even before the SoE, the place becomes a ghost town by 7 pm in some places, and it would mean asking staff who may not get relief on time to stay back, and this will cause them to be in a mad rush to get home.”
He said the RHA’s can also look into providing temporary sleeping accommodation for nurses so they would not have to travel late at night.
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