SEQURE Health recognises the anaesthetic technicians’ right to strike and appreciates the issues that led them to take that the necessary industrial action last week.

However, managing director Vinod Govind is also concerned for the welfare of the patients, and that they don’t suffer any unintended consequences because of the technicians’ actions.

“I understand that the country’s healthcare system has myriad issues that cannot be solved overnight with a blanket solution, but patients should be a District Health Boards’ priority.

“Despite the underfunding and under-resourcing, patients should be at the centre of every decision.

“The services that SEQURE can provide would support the current system while the industrial action takes place, subsequent negotiations and, hopefully, a respectful conclusion for all parties.”

Collaboration has been a critical method in SEQURE’s support of the Southern District Health Board, clearing a backlog of more than 1000 eye patients.

A similar partnership with the Northern DHB – to In-source a portable workforce of highly skilled, experienced, team – would ensure patients’ health are given the priority they deserve.

“We don't have a solution to fix everything but, at the very least, we can be a helping hand.

“At the same time, we understand how difficult a position DHB’s have been placed in while trying to offer equitable pay to all its staff, especially because they have been under-funded for so long.

“But the technicians deserve to be heard and deserve to be paid fairly; without such a critical component in the healthcare system, surgeries would be impossible.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media