Health-Care Workers Being Recognized For Increased Innovation And Achievements

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“The best feeling ever”, was the description by AC Technician of the Mandeville Regional Hospital (MRH), Gary Smith, of his award for runner-up Maintenance Personnel of the Year recently. Mr. Smith pointed out that he has worked many places before, but, from his memory, this was the first an organization was awarding him for outstanding work.

Mr. Smith, who has been working with the MRH, since 2015 was recognized particularly for his innovativeness, which resulted in the renovation of a walk-in freezer which had not worked for some years.

The AC Technician pointed out that after joining the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), which administrates the MRH, he toured the facility to identify its maintenance needs and was informed of the walk-in freezer, which was important for storing meats and other items to prepare meals for hundreds of patients. Mr. Smith noted that the facility was faced with two options; getting a new system which was costly or replacing the defective compressor in the old system, which was challenging because a compressor with the required specifications could not be sourced.

Mr. Smith did not allow the latter option to deter him as he explained that: “I rewired the entire control and support circuit while getting a replacement compressor which suited the new wiring. Most of the repair was carried out using parts and materials that were at the hospital. The repair cost was a mere fraction of what a new system would have cost” Mr. Smith said.

SRHA Director of Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations, Nicolette Thomas Edwards noted that this cost saving innovation by Mr. Smith, in addition to several others and countless achievements and gallantry efforts and the general hard work of health-care workers, have contributed to an increase in staff being awarded and recognized over the last few years.

“Funding has also been earmarked specifically for staff recognition, which allows the Authority to recognize and award staff in tangible ways including plaques, gift certificates and special prizes” Mrs. Thomas Edwards said.

She added that since the increase in staff recognition, the SRHA has recognized substantial results including improved performances, increased innovations and gallantry efforts and more targets being met by workers.

Supporting the link between staff recognition and the employees productivity, Mr. Smith noted that while his general approach to work is to go above and beyond to ensure quality and effectiveness, he is appreciative of the organization’s efforts to recognize his work. He encouraged the SRHA to continue on this path as it is a good way to motivate staff and boost their morale.

The Human Resource Management Director noted that due to the nature of health-care, staff are often faced with dangerous situations. She pointed to gallantry efforts by staff members at the Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth, Damion Christopher and Craigan Mundy, who rescued a colleague from a psychiatric patient who was armed with a knife. Though the staff members were physically harmed by the patient, their quick and selfless response averted a dangerous situation. These employees in addition to more than 70 others were awarded by the St. Elizabeth Health Services on March 23.

The Percy Junor Hospital in north-east Manchester recognized more than 40 employees on March 21 while the SRHA awarded 16 drivers and maintenance personnel on March 22.Acting Parish Manager for the Manchester Health Services, Sandia Chambers-Ferguson (left) presents a gift to AC Technician at the Mandeville Regional Hospital, Gary Smith who copped the runner-up award for the Maintenance Personnel of the Year.