Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer is reminding the Regional Health Authorities to observe the government’s Human Resource policies and practices in the recruitment, discipline and separation of staff. The Minister made the comments after receiving reports that a male staff member of the Northeast Regional Health Authority was sent home for wearing a braided hair style. “There has to be consistency between the written policies and what is practiced in the Regional Health Authorities and at the points of service delivery,” he said.

Minister Spencer pointed out that this is important to preserve integrity, ensure credibility and prevent confusion in the minds of staff members. “I would also like to take this opportunity to remind the management of the Regions that fair treatment of staff is important to ensuring productivity and industrial relations harmony at the workplace. It is important that all managers in the public health sector respect the rights of our workers and work to contribute to the stability of the public health sector which is critical to our ability to carry out our mandate of providing health services to the people of Jamaica,” the Minister stated.

The Ministry of Health’s restructuring programme includes the recentralization of the Human Resources and the Internal Audit functions and the establishment of a central Projects Unit at the Ministry of Health.

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