Kingston: Appointment woes anger patients

BARRINGTON FACEY and commonlaw wife Veronica Morgan reported on Thursday that their appointments were pushed back by six months after waiting a year to see the ophthalmologist at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH).

That was one of the punishing consequences of the sickout at KPH as doctors pressed the Government to retreat in a contracts dispute.

“Dem say no doctor nuh deh here,” 63-year-old Morgan told The Gleaner. “Dem give me appointment from last year fi today,” she said, bursting into tears.

Dwight Brown, a patient on the orthopaedic clinic, turned up to have his bandages changed and for a review to be done of his broken ankle.

He, too, faced a rescheduled appointment. “Anything the prime minister have to do, him must do as soon as possible to get the people up and running,”said the Jones Town resident, irritated at having to move back and forth between departments, reportedly for two hours, to retrieve his card.

Dr Natalie Whylie, senior medical officer at the KPH, said that 64 of 198 junior doctors showed up for work on Thursday.

“We have had to significantly curtail our outpatient services. We have had to cancel all of our elective surgical procedures that were scheduled for today (Thursday), so that senior doctors and the remaining junior doctors can focus on the management of the inpatients and the emergency cases that continue to come to the hospital,” Why lie told The Gleaner.

All 50 consultants scheduled for work were present.