Human Resource Management & Development Branch

The Human Resource Management Development Branch has specific responsibility for developing policy and for planning, directing and organizing the processes for appropriate staffing for the Ministry and its agencies with a view to enabling efficient and effective accomplishment of it major objectives. The branch also plays a consultative role to the regional health authorities by guiding the implementation of their broad HR policies.

The branch consist of three (3) units namely (as indicated in the diagram below): -

• Manpower Planning and Development
• Personnel
• Industrial Relations

Manpower Planning and Development

This unit is responsible for the development and implementation of the strategic and operational human resource planning for the health sector. This involves the development and maintenance of an effective manpower; succession and training plan for the ministry. Its main focus is to ensure adequate supply of personnel in the public health services.

Personnel

The focus here is to manage the personnel functions in the ministry’s head office, which include employment, appointment, promotion, retirement and maintenance of personnel records.Industrial RelationsThis unit’s objective is to ensure that good labour relations between management, staff and unions/staff associations are established and maintained.

Some AchievementsThe National Health Fund has provided $396 million to the Ministry of Health to be utilized for training and development of our health professionals. The Manpower Planning Unit through the Training Committee manages these funds. To date scholarships and financial assistance have been granted to 592 beneficiaries, including existing staff and new recruits desirous of pursuing training/courses in the field of health. This is at a cost of $60.465 million.

In addition, the new Midwifery School in Spanish Town was opened on April 2005 at a budgeted cost of $11.4 million. The school has the capacity to train 30 students. The internship programme for the Nutrition and Dietetics students has been revived at a budgeted cost of $8.4 million. Current expenditure in this regard is $1.4 million.

The Ministry of Finance and Planning has approved a revolving loan scheme for the staff in the Regional Health Authorities. This will facilitate loans for the purchase of motor vehicle, motor vehicle insurance and miscellaneous activities such as school fees and medical expenses. The Human Resource Management Development Branch has specific responsibility for developing policy and for planning, directing and organizing the processes for appropriate staffing for the Ministry and its agencies with a view to enabling efficient and effective accomplishment of it major objectives. The branch also plays a consultative role to the regional health authorities by guiding the implementation of their broad HR policies. The branch consist of three (3) units namely (as indicated in the diagram below): -

• Manpower Planning and Development
• Personnel
• Industrial Relations

Industrial Relations

This unit’s objective is to ensure that good labour relations between management, staff and unions/staff associations are established and maintained.

Some Achievements

The National Health Fund has provided $396 million to the Ministry of Health to be utilized for training and development of our health professionals. The Manpower Planning Unit through the Training Committee manages these funds. To date scholarships and financial assistance have been granted to 592 beneficiaries, including existing staff and new recruits desirous of pursuing training/courses in the field of health. This is at a cost of $60.465 million.

In addition, the new Midwifery School in Spanish Town was opened on April 2005 at a budgeted cost of $11.4 million. The school has the capacity to train 30 students. The internship programme for the Nutrition and Dietetics students has been revived at a budgeted cost of $8.4 million. Current expenditure in this regard is $1.4 million.

The Ministry of Finance and Planning has approved a revolving loan scheme for the staff in the Regional Health Authorities. This will facilitate loans for the purchase of motor vehicle, motor vehicle insurance and miscellaneous activities such as school fees and medical expenses.