[UPDATED] ‘Shackled’ San Fernando hospital ward manager: Staff burnt out, tired, frustrated

As he stood with his hands shackled outside the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) on Monday, ward manager Ricardo Goolcharan pleaded with the hospital’s management to acknowledge that staff are “burnt out, tired and frustrated.”

Goolcharan, who is also an industrial relations officer with the Public Service Association (PSA), started his one-man protest – which was eventually shut down by police – around 9.30am on Monday.

While the pandemic has taken an emotional, mental and physical toll on healthcare workers on the frontline of Trinidad and Tobago’s covid19 fight in the parallel healthcare system, Goolcharan said the plight of staff in the general health care system is being ignored.

He said while the parallel health care system was created to protect the resources of the general health care system from being overwhelmed by covid19, it has had the opposite effect, since facilities like the SFGH are understaffed.

During the Ministry of Health’s virtual covid19 briefing on Saturday, South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) disaster co-ordinator Keston Joseph said the authority has had to move medical personnel from its main hospitals to covid19 wards to help deal with the recent surge in cases.

Goolcharan told Newsday, “All our healthcare workers have been affected by the shortage, or what you call a deficit ratio of workers.

“It’s a worldwide issue, but what has happened in TT is we never had the prerequisite number of stuff to manage the wards.

“But now it is harder because workers (from the general system) have gone to the parallel system and left these wards basically short-staffed, compounding the issue.”

Goolcharan claims workers frequently complain to him that they work more than 12 hours a day.

With some afraid to speak out about their current working conditions, Goolcharan said Monday’s demonstration was an expression of his civic duty to speak up for those who he felt had no voice.

He said he had earlier met with the hospital’s human resources manager Asha Sinanan to voice his concerns.

He lamented, “The chain on my hand is a symbolic representation of the oppression of the workers and the slavery mentality that have been imposed by management onto the workers.

“Yes, there is a shortage of healthcare professionals worldwide, but at the end of the day, it rests on the managers and country not to take that out on workers. Don’t put burden on healthcare workers, they are burnt out, tired and frustrated. At the end of the day, they have their families.”

While he has no more protests planned, Goolcharan said he does have several upcoming meetings with hospital officials.

SWRHA: Pandemic taking a toll on staff

In a press release on Monday afternoon, the SWRHA called Goolcharan’s protest “unusual industrial relations practice.”

But the release acknowledged Goolcharan’s concerns about the working conditions for staff at the hospital.

It said, “The sober reality that may have triggered this incident is that the global covid19 pandemic has upended the health sector and by extension the welfare of frontline healthcare employees who though they have been relentless and resolute, are only human and can tire at times.

“This reality remains a core concern for the authority and to the best of our collective ability we have thus far remained steadfast and committed to employee’s needs, particularly mental health concerns at this time.”

Concerned at Monday’s protest, the SWRHA said it is appealing to members of the public to be exercise “proper industrial relations procedures” for the health and welfare of patients, visitors and staff at its facilities.

The release said the SWRHA will continue meeting with recognised trade unions and will meet with them on November 24 to discuss the welfare of the authority’s healthcare workers.

PSA President Watson Duke endorses protest

Contacted for comment, PSA president Watson Duke told Newsday he supported Goolcharan’s one-man protest given it had the best interest of workers at heart.

He pointed out that Goolcharan was no ordinary PSA member but rather an executive member who was an industrial relations officer.

“He (Goolcharan) has particular charge over the Southwest Regional Health Authority.

“So any action done in the furtherance of those workers grievances, and in the furtherance of improving their terms of employment and conditions of service, is well supported by myself as the president of PSA and the entire PSA,” said Duke.

Duke also disagreed with the SWRHA’s stance that Goolcharan’s protest “unusual industrial relations practice.”

This story was originally published with the title "‘Shackled’ San Fernando hospital ward manager: Staff burnt out, tired, frustrated" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below:

As he stood with his hands shackled outside the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) on Monday, ward manager Ricardo Goolcharan pleaded with the hospital’s management to acknowledge that staff are “burnt out, tired and frustrated.”

Goolcharan, who is also an industrial relations officer with the Public Service Association (PSA), started his one-man protest – which was eventually shut down by police – around 9.30am on Monday.

While the pandemic has taken an emotional, mental and physical toll on healthcare workers on the frontline of Trinidad and Tobago’s covid19 fight in the parallel healthcare system, Goolcharan said the plight of staff in the general health care system is being ignored.

He said while the parallel health care system was created to protect the resources of the general health care system from being overwhelmed by covid19, it has had the opposite effect, since facilities like the SFGH are understaffed.

During the Ministry of Health’s virtual covid19 briefing on Saturday, South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) disaster co-ordinator Keston Joseph said the authority has had to move medical personnel from its main hospitals to covid19 wards to help deal with the recent surge in cases.

Goolcharan told Newsday, “All our healthcare workers have been affected by the shortage, or what you call a deficit ratio of workers.

“It’s a worldwide issue, but what has happened in TT is we never had the prerequisite number of stuff to manage the wards.

“But now it is harder because workers (from the general system) have gone to the parallel system and left these wards basically short-staffed, compounding the issue.”

Goolcharan claims workers frequently complain to him that they work more than 12 hours a day.

With some afraid to speak out about their current working conditions, Goolcharan said Monday’s demonstration was an expression of his civic duty to speak up for those who he felt had no voice.

He said he had earlier met with the hospital’s human resources manager Asha Sinanan to voice his concerns.

He lamented, “The chain on my hand is a symbolic representation of the oppression of the workers and the slavery mentality that have been imposed by management onto the workers.

“Yes, there is a shortage of healthcare professionals worldwide, but at the end of the day, it rests on the managers and country not to take that out on workers. Don’t put burden on healthcare workers, they are burnt out, tired and frustrated. At the end of the day, they have their families.”

While he has no more protests planned, Goolcharan said he does have several upcoming meetings with hospital officials.

SWRHA: Pandemic taking a toll on staff

In a press release on Monday afternoon, the SWRHA called Goolcharan’s protest “unusual industrial relations practice.”

But the release acknowledged Goolcharan’s concerns about the working conditions for staff at the hospital.

It said, “The sober reality that may have triggered this incident is that the global covid19 pandemic has upended the health sector and by extension the welfare of frontline healthcare employees who though they have been relentless and resolute, are only human and can tire at times.

“This reality remains a core concern for the authority and to the best of our collective ability we have thus far remained steadfast and committed to employee’s needs, particularly mental health concerns at this time.”

Concerned at Monday’s protest, the SWRHA said it is appealing to members of the public to be exercise “proper industrial relations procedures” for the health and welfare of patients, visitors and staff at its facilities.

The release said the SWRHA will continue meeting with recognised trade unions and will meet with them on November 24 to discuss the welfare of the authority’s healthcare workers.