COI into allegations against GPHC Matron...Commissioners discuss way forward at inaugural meeting

COI into allegations against GPHC Matron…Commissioners discuss way forward at inaugural meeting

Oct 20, 2016 News

A Commission of Inquiry (COI) set up to investigate allegations levelled against the Director of Nursing Services (Matron) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Sister Collene Hicks, has been established. Yesterday its members met to conduct the Commission’s inaugural meeting at the GPHC’s Resource Centre.

The inaugural meeting in session yesterday.

During their meeting, the members of the Commission, which is being headed by former General Secretary of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), Ms. Chandrawattie Persaud, discussed how they will proceed with the associated investigation.
In an invited comment yesterday, Persaud, who is a practicing attorney-at-law, revealed that the Commission was seeking to ascertain what materials and support it will require to be most effective in its duty. The investigation, she disclosed, will be guided by a Terms of Reference (TOR).
Based on the TOR, the Commission is expected to compile – through interviews with staff of the hospital, including doctors and nurses or through investigations – a list of allegations or complaints of displeasure or misconduct against the Director of Nursing Services.
The Commission is tasked with assessing the truthfulness of the allegations or complaints and determine whether these have been injurious or destructive to the effective and efficient delivery of the health care delivered at the GPHC.
It is expected that the investigating team will also specifically examine the promotion of nurses under the Director of Nursing Services to determine whether these were based on merit. Added to this, the Commission will examine the relationship between the Director of Nursing Services and the doctors of the institution with regards to how this relationship may have affected the delivery of health care at the hospital.
The COI will also seek to determine whether the Director of Nursing Services committed acts of insubordination during the period September 15, 2015 to July 20, 2016.
“What we also have to look at specifically is that 150 persons within the organisation signed a petition against the Director of Nursing Services, and we would want to enquire what really are the issues to cause that petition,” Persaud stated. She revealed that the investigation could entail the interviewing of the 150 or even more individuals as part of the process.
“We are not au fait with the specifics at the moment and so we are going to determine maybe an area with eight petitioners… then an area with none, and take a representative sample of each. We intend to have a balance process,” asserted Persaud.
Aside from Persaud, the other Commissioners of the COI include Ms. Laurelle Daw, Director of Nursing Services at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital for the past seven years; Dr. Anwar Hussain who has racked-up decades of service at the GPHC; Mr. Reginald Brotherson, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Public Service within the Ministry of the Presidency and former Auditor General, Mr. Anand Goolsarran.
They have all expressed confidence that their respective areas of expertise qualify them to make valuable contributions to the COI with a view of help to enhance the efficiency of the institution.
While each of the Commissioners will continue in their various professional capacities during the course of the investigation, the COI will require that they function based on a clearly outlined timetable, according to Persaud.
They will each be paid a total of $200,000 for their duties as commissioners.
Speaking of the Commission yesterday, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Carl ‘Max’ Hanoman said that he is confident that it is a well balanced Commission that will, without prejudice, conduct the task at hand. “It took us sometime to get it together; of course we had to satisfy the Union with their representatives,” related Dr. Hanoman who disclosed that recommendations were also taken from the Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, and other parties as well.
According to Dr. Hanoman, he awaits the findings and the recommendations that will be presented to the Board of Directors following the completion of the COI within a month’s time.
And Dr. Hanoman intimated yesterday, “I think they are going to do a good job” even as he added “we are going to take the positives from the findings, implement them, and see where we will go at the hospital.”
Hicks was sent on administrative leave in July to facilitate the investigation into allegations levelled against her. Dr. Hanoman related yesterday that she will remain on leave pending the findings and recommendations of the Commission.
Yesterday’s meeting was also attended by Chief Executive Officer of the GPHC, Mr. Michael Khan, who is expected to shortly demit office.