By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

PUBLIC Hospital Authority Chairman Frank Smith said despite more than 50 per cent of nurses in the capital and Grand Bahama failing to report to work yesterday health care services at the Princess Margaret Hospital, Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre and Grand Bahama Health Services were not “adversely affected”.

At a press conference yesterday, Mr Smith said the PHA worked quickly to mitigate any negative effects the nurses’ industrial action may have had on the nation’s healthcare facilitates.

He said of the 330 nurses who were scheduled for the 8am to 4pm shift yesterday at the three institutions 161 showed up for work, 166 did not.

However, he said, hospital services continued as scheduled without any significant interruption with the exception of the Orthopaedic Clinic.

The Tribune understand two clinics in the Family Islands were shut down completely when nurses failed to report to work.

“As regards services and reportage at the Princess Margaret Hospital, I wish to report that 57 per cent of Nursing Officers, Registered Nurses and Trained Clinical Nurses who were scheduled to work the 8am to 4pm shift reported to work. Hospital services continued except in the Orthopaedic Clinic which had to reduce patient volume. Services in the Casting Room at Orthopaedics were not affected and patients were seen. We can also report that all scheduled dialysis patients were seen and received treatment,” Mr Smith said.

“At Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre 26 per cent of Registered Nurses and 47 per cent of Trained Clinical Nurses reported for their 8am to 4pm shift; 71 per cent of Nursing Officers reported for their scheduled shift. In Grand Bahama, 67 per cent of Registered Nurses and Trained Clinical Nurses reported for their shift as well. The PHA remains committed to providing quality service health care and wellbeing of our clients as a matter of priority.”

Mary Walker, hospital administrator of PMH, said contrary to reports almost 100 per cent of the nurses reported to work.

However, she said, in Accident and Emergency only 64 per cent of the nurses showed up, but the hospital “was able to service the public as best we can with what we had without impacting the quality of healthcare”.

When asked if the nurses who participated in the strike would have their pay cut as a result, Mr Smith said “we have not taken anything off the table at this point”.

He also said the PHA has a contingency plan should the strike continue today and into the future.

“In the long term, we were of the view that we had dealt with any grievances and any issue that was brought to our attention as we meet with the head of the nurses union on a monthly basis.

“In terms of dealing with this industrial action in the short term, we have been forced to mitigate against the shortages by drawing on some resources to make up for the shortfall in terms of nurses on the job.”