K.H.M.H. C.E.O. on Concerns of the Hospital Workers Union

Michelle Cox-Hoare

C.E.O. Michelle Cox-Hoare also responded to a question in respect of a request by the K.H.M.H. Workers Union to be granted a seat at the discussion table on the COVID-19 response at the national referral hospital. As you know, the union reps met with Prime Minister Dean Barrow, concerned that that its members, frontline workers, did not have access to personal protective. Cox-Hoare says that the K.H.M.H. Authority has always been open with the union about the P.P.E.s and other matters.  

Michelle Cox-Hoare, C.E.O., K.H.M.H.

“There is no disappearance of PPEs from K.H.M.H.  There are instances where the management of PPEs has to be carefully done and we have implemented that system just to ensure that we are able to account for the PPEs that are distributed to us. And so for that, it is not open and readily available as staff members would have liked it to be. PPEs are issued based on need in the different areas and specifically for COVID-19, there is a special type of PPE that needs to be used and the procedure is a little more heightened, strengthened as it relates to COVID-19. But generally, we do have PPEs available for standard operations here at K.H.M.H.   As it relates to their request to be a part of the discussion, they were always a part of the COVID-19 update. It just means that we invite them to our working group sessions and we’ve started that process, including a representative from the union. But I just want it to be very clear that the discussion with the union has always been very open, as much as possible; updated the union as much as we saw the need to update them relating to issues with COVID-19 management. It is a part of our process to include all managers, all staff members, including union and we have always done that. We’ve had several meetings with the union prior to their concerns that they raised regarding staff members and their risk for exposure to these types of situations. So all we are doing now is strengthening that process.”