QEH pledges action after A&E work stoppage

The management of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has pledged to address concerns about staffing, resources and working conditions after meeting with nurses from the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department in the wake of a work stoppage earlier this week. The meeting on Wednesday came a day after nurses returned to work following discussions with their representatives. In a statement, Chief Executive Officer of the QEH Neil Clark described the discussions as open and constructive and reaffirmed his commitment to working with nurses to find practical solutions. Clark said he welcomed the opportunity to hear directly from nurses and better understand the challenges they face, including salaries and working conditions. “Our nurses work under considerable pressure, and I recognise and appreciate their dedication to caring for our patients,” he said. Clark stressed that staff concerns were important and that collaboration was essential to improving working conditions and patient care. QEH Chief Executive Officer Neil Clark (File photo) “I firmly believe that listening to our staff and working together is essential to improving both their working environment and the care we provide to the public,” he said. He also encouraged staff to contact him directly to share their ideas and suggestions, assuring them that his door remained open. The QEH said emergency services remained operational and it remained committed to supporting staff while delivering safe, compassionate care to the public. The work stoppage followed concerns about severe staff shortages and a lack of equipment and supplies in the A&E Department. General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Richard Green told Barbados TODAY that the union intervened urgently on Monday evening after nurses requested assistance. He said subsequent discussions with hospital management resulted in commitments to reassign nurses to the department and address shortages of equipment and supplies. (SB)