Up Front
As the Cayman Islands Health Services continues to restructure, tension is mounting among staff with the news that by next year there is expected to be ...
127 Less Health Workers
The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority (CIHSA) wants to reduce its workforce by 127 people over the next year.
CIHSA Chairman,
Mr. Kel Thompson
This was stated in a "Manpower Plan Bulletin" signed by CIHSA chairman Mr. Kel Thompson and which has been circulated to staff.
The bulletin stated that immediately before becoming an Authority in July, 597 staff members were identified excluding the "Sister Islands" which are being dealt with separately.
According to the statement, the "target manning level" is about 470 staff, meaning that that the CIHSA workforce will then be reduced by 127. "It is our sincere belief that we will be able to achieve this further headcount reduction by natural attrition over the next year," the bulletin added. "We recognise that there will be checks and balances needed to achieve the 'right shape' for the organization, but expect that the vast majority of contracts requiring renewal will be renewed where this is requested and allowed by the Immigration authorities."
By Friday November 15, the number of CIHSA staff was reduced from 597 to 539. This was a combination of natural attrition and "the work undertaken to reconcile the headcount following separation from Government".
On Friday November 15, some 16 posts were made redundant, reducing the number to 518.
By December 31, 2002, a further nine posts will be "vacated through retirement, resignation etc.", bringing the workforce down to 509.
The bulletin said that in January 2003, 15 staff will commence practical nurse training, which means that there will be 494 staff. This, according to the bulletin, leaves a further headcount reduction target of 24 staff in order to bring the numbers down to 470.
It is reported that among the people who were made redundant on November 15, was a woman who worked in the Health Service for 27 years.
Indications are that staff at the CIHSA are anxious and tense throughout this exercise, as they do not know precisely who has been identified for redundancy.
The level of their concern was evident during the November 14 meeting which was so packed that it caused Mr. Thompson to comment on the attendance, saying that it was the largest he had seen at any CIHSA meeting.
Cayman Net News understands that there was a presence of extra police officers at the hospital, presumably in anticipation of protests. The session was however incident-free.