Poor patient care can now impact workers’ gratuity, promotions – Pres. Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that health facility workers who deliver poor services face consequences.

“At every one of these new facilities, the new hospitals, we’re going to put a customer service desk where patients can report to if they experience bad service. And that report goes up into the system and would influence the payment of the payment of gratuity, it would influence promotions and it would influence the way in which disciplinary measures would be applied in the public service,” the President announced during a press conference on Friday.

These customer service desks, he explained, will be integrated into the service delivery platform of the government. As part of the national digitisation agenda, the government will be establishing three integrated services hubs in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) – an initiative that is expected to be replicated in other regions.

These hubs will include “all the services for immigration, for GRA, licencing, and importantly, connecting the NDCs with these hubs, the regions with these hubs and then integrating into the national hub so that each of these facilities will have a help desk”, the president explained.

“And that desk will allow citizens to connect directly with every layer of government,” he added, noting that the intention is to focus on a people-centered approach to development.

“No issue must be allowed to escape the loop of government. So, we’re closing that loop in a very comprehensive and integrated way,” the President emphasised.