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63 nurses, pharmacists & medical practitioners quit BVIHSA after hurricanes

…agency also needs $3M to finish paying for a ‘Health Information System—CEO
BVIHSA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ms Paula Chester-Cumberbatch. VINO/File
56 members of staff left the organisation after the passage of the hurricanes last year, and an additional seven had given their notices of resignation. Photo: Internet Source
56 members of staff left the organisation after the passage of the hurricanes last year, and an additional seven had given their notices of resignation. Photo: Internet Source
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Sixty three persons have quit, or have signalled an intention to resign from the British Virgin Islands Health Services Authority (BVIHSA), from critical areas such as nursing, pharmaceuticals and medical practitioners and as such, a considerable part of the agency’s 2018 budget for staffing, will go towards the costs of replacing those members.

The revelation was by recently BVIHSA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ms Paula Chester-Cumberbatch, in her appearance before the Standing Finance Committee, of the Virgin Islands’ (VI) House of Assembly, where she advised that the losses in staff were had as a direct result of hurricanes Irma and Maria last year.

She said in terms of challenges to be faced by the BVIHSA for 2018, 56 members of staff left the organisation after the passage of the hurricanes last year, and an additional seven had given their notices of resignation. 

Those staff from served BVIHSA in areas of nursing, medical practitioners, and support areas in terms of the pharmacy and the allied health areas and will have to be replaced.

Austerity Measures

The Finance Committee was at the time examining the BVIHSA’s 2018 draft estimated expenditure for 2018.

The BVIHSA’s CEO disclosed during her appearance also, that while ‘austerity measures’ have been put in place for 2018—to curb its annual expenses—the agency has budgeted to spend $3 million on a ‘Health Information System.’

This, in addition to another $1.5 million, for accreditation of BVIHSA’s services. The proposed spending for this year is documented in the 2018 Report for the Standing Finance Committee.

According to Ms Chester-Cumberbatch, the government agency “needed additional funds for two projects which they had started last year and needed to continue.”

The BVIHSA CEO said, the funds requested for the projects, “were $1.5 million for accreditation of their services and $3 million for a Health Information Systems.”

The report did not document the BVIHSA’s CEO, giving any details on the type of Information System being purchased and from where, or accreditation sought. 

Contracts Already Signed!

The House of Assembly report instead said, the CEO advised that the contracts were already signed with the providers prior to hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Ms Chester-Cumberbatch disclosed too that 17 per cent of the entity’s 2018 budget, will go towards the maintenance, repairs and upkeep of the (BVIHSA) facilities, which was of paramount importance, “procurement, local travel, and specialist costs in general.”

 Ms Chester-Cumberbatch used the appearance before the Finance Committee to also apprise members of negotiations with the insurance providers, to ensure there was a reduction in malpractice costs by at least $500,000, and “ensuring that their overall banking interests, legal and professional expenses were kept at a minimum level.”

  

13 Responses to “63 nurses, pharmacists & medical practitioners quit BVIHSA after hurricanes ”

  • cay (18/06/2018, 10:15) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    she need to add her self in as she will be gone too lol
    • look (18/06/2018, 10:50) Like (10) Dislike (4) Reply
      This comment may not get printed, but she is the cause of why S#!t is going South.
      • THANOS "I HOPE THEY REMEBER YOU" (20/06/2018, 11:04) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
        NO TELL YOUR PARENT FRIEND COUSIN THAT COMES TO PEEBLES LIKE IT IS A FREE CLINIC! LOOK EMPLOYEES IN THE FACE AND TELL THEM THEY ARE NOT PAYING! OR THE ONES WHO SIMPLY TELL YOU I DON'T HAVE IT, SMILE THEN GET THE SERVICE AND SMILE ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR. GO TO THE OTHE MEDICAL FACILITIES WITH THAT CRAP! OH I FORGOT THEY SEND YOU IMMORAL PEOPLE TO PEEBLES!
  • patience (18/06/2018, 10:46) Like (11) Dislike (3) Reply
    how can it work or stay afloat? when you get sick and use the NHI plus your own cash, but the provider charges
    huge sums just for the doctor visits and for any scans - and still they can't find what is wrong with you, even if
    it is obvious, and its already cost thousands to the patient and to the NHI system and nothing has been treated -
    well its a vicious cycle of ripoff. Over $300 book charge for initial doctor visit? $1200 for a cat scan that doesn't
    show anything, while the persons guts are sticking out? Yeah its broke alright. Best go to another country for any
    given medical situation beyond a hangnail.
  • tretretrete (18/06/2018, 12:26) Like (24) Dislike (1) Reply
    Staff not only because of the devistation from the storms but also because of the injustices that happen at BVIHSA
    • Agreed, Maryland (18/06/2018, 15:46) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Hmmm, I left because the stress was getting to me big time.
  • drain the swamp (18/06/2018, 18:01) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    I’m sure more is on its way! With the current management Team more will be on its way. It’s a one man show down there and a bunch of headless chickens.

    A bunch of high school children in management positions leading the place base on how they feel about you and based on lies and rumors. It’s time shift the management from the Board come down.
  • Over worked (18/06/2018, 20:00) Like (11) Dislike (2) Reply
    63 is a huge number. They are over worked and under paid
  • We say (18/06/2018, 21:46) Like (4) Dislike (12) Reply
    Too much hate and displaced frustration in the blogs. In the natural scheme of things after every major disaster there is an exodus. 63 from over 4K nationally is really a small number. Let's work on lifting each other up instead of breaking each other down. She gave a report, had she tried to make it look pretty there would still be negativity. Bless up Madame and the BVIHSA. People will always leave. Change is inevitable. BVIHSA continue the good works.
    Stop! think b4 u touch that dislike button. Peace y'all.
  • ,,,, (19/06/2018, 20:23) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    My thing for nurses and doctors who wants to come to the bvi to work thimk twice before you leave your job they fool you about the package you get and on top of it you punished to get a place to rent nurses and doctors come and have no where to stay they suffers a lot people ask your fellow friends before you come and the promised pay is not as it is
  • Trump advocate (20/06/2018, 00:58) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply

    They run that hospital like a dictatorship.they had no call with that lady being CEO.she has done nothing to improve the services of the hospital.there are some individuals that are detrimental to the hospital which could cause the hospital to go under.the mistreatment of many staff members that continue to go on a daily basis.............the best person that would be CEO would be Dr Harlan Vanterpool.



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