The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that employees of the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) must return to work.  Health care professionals were part of industrial action carried out at the beginning of the week.  The action was called for by the Bahamas Trade Union Congress led by Obie Ferguson.

PHA Managing Director, Dr. Aubynette Rolle informed reporters that 90% of junior doctors did not report to work on Monday.  Rolle gave an update on operations at the hospitals on Tuesday.  She said, “as it relates to the CPSAs which is the senior physicians  it was around 60% the entire time.  We saw a tad increase in that nursing population but generally they came.  There were a few areas that had significant impact, in particular the emergency room, one could imagine why.  Because of the impact of the physicians in what we call the acute care facility as well as the public health facility or what we call the clinics the impact was there and so we had persons coming to the hospital.”

Dr. Rolle outlined some of the contingencies utilized to mitigate the impact of the industrial action.  “We were able to bring physicians inside the hospital so that we were able to divide the levels of care in the emergency room.”

The Managing Director also told reporters she has a clear understanding of some of the concerns of the concerns after a meeting with some physicians.  She said, “some of them I deem to be miscommunications.  I did advise them that there were several steps that I would take.  One, I would have a communication with my Chairman who is responsible for the PHA.  I would also have a discussion with the Minister and I would lay over those levels of concern.”

Minister of Health and Wellness, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville also appeared at the press event.  He spoke about the Supreme Courts injunction of the industrial action.  “The Supreme Court ordered that an injunction restraining the employees with the Department of Public Health, the Ministry of Health as well as the Public Hospitals Authority from being a part of any strike vote or any industrial action and has ordered the members who are employed with the PHA, the Ministry of Health, the Department of Public Health back to work and to return to work as rostered by the schedule.”

The injunction also includes Air Traffic Control employees.