Study to Examine Health Profiles of Staff at Cornwall Regional Hospital
Photo: JIS Photographer
Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton
A study is to be commissioned to examine the health profiles of staff who have reported being affected by air-quality issues at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in St. James.
This was announced by Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, in a statement to Parliament on Tuesday (April 24), in which he provided an update on the measures being implemented by the Government to address the situation at the hospital.
Dr. Tufton said the team undertaking the study will include external experts, who will analyse current complaints, symptoms and other data available at the staff clinic over the last two years.
The Minister further informed that a “tracking arrangement” will be established “to look to the future to determine what impact, if any, these conditions would have had on staff”.
This will involve an individual baseline occupational history and clinical examination of staff, which will serve as the initial step of a tracking survey of the staff over time.
Additionally, there will be periodic assessments that are expected to take place over years that will be determined by the initial findings of the study.
Incidence and rates of occurrence of outcomes tracked will also be compared to similar outcome data available for the general population.Exmine
Implementation and activities under the study are expected to be done in phases, which will initially focus on better identifying the concerns and will involve engagement of stakeholders and key informants.
These include representatives of relevant professional associations, such as medical, nursing, allied health professionals and unions.
“We will continue to work with the staff at Cornwall Regional, with the citizens of St. James and its environs and with the Government’s support and endorsement to restore CRH to its rightful place,” the Minister asserted.
