$44,286 starting salary for nurses not attractive for recruitment & retention- Hon Wheatley
This is according to Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) while responding to a question from Second District Representative Hon Melvin M. Turnbull during the Continuation of the Sixth Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) on Tuesday, January 30, 2024.
VI paying nurses & doctors less than some OTs
Hon Wheatley also disclosed that the starting salary for nurses employed by the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) is $44,286.00 per annum, while the starting salary for doctors is $100,000 per annum.
The Health Minister noted that the starting salary for nurses in certain Overseas Territories is around $70,000 and it is much higher in the UK, US, and New Zealand, which offer a “signed on bonus” of $10,000 and more and also offer fast-tracked citizenship.
“BVIHSA has lost many of their staff members to these regions and will endeavour to adjust their strategies and salary levels to increase the rate of retention, given the sort of living increases in the territory and throughout the world.”
Hon Wheatley also said another reason nurses leave the VI health system is due to familial dynamics, which occur on account of families relocating and separating for better opportunities overseas.
“While this list is not exhausted, these are the current themes identified in exit interviews with staff,” Hon Wheatley stated.
Staff need to operate equipment @ public hospital
Meanwhile, the Health Minister lamented that there is “some great equipment” in Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital; however, the challenge is getting qualified persons to operate these machines and also to keep the machines running.
He also said he gets a lot of complaints daily about machines being down but he is fully committed to doing a lot better in terms of making sure patients only have to go abroad in extreme cases.
“I think it was two weeks ago we had three persons flown to Colombia, two with cardiovascular situations and one with broken bones, some of those things actually can be attended to here with the right equipment…I am fully committed to doing a hard recruitment drive.
“It’s hard to compete with salaries but there are other things we can offer these persons to incentivize them to want to work here in our lovely British Virgin Islands and we will explore all of those things,” Hon Wheatley stated.
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43 Responses to “$44,286 starting salary for nurses not attractive for recruitment & retention- Hon Wheatley”
The above explanation rival that of wasting huge sums of money, $150.000.00 on one day entertainments music festival, unprofitable sports ventures, and other high cost oversees travel ventures.
If the Premier so care about our over burden economical wellbeing, then I think that he should revisit the Greedy Bill Act, so that low paid government employee, low paid government pension receivers, our infrastructural priorities, roads repair etc., be urgent address, beginning tomorrow, February 1st, 2024 with fail. Talk don't satisfied hungry belly, foods do, but not without sufficient money to pay the seller.
Fix the problem then you would get staff. The Lab is the WORST
And as for doctors, 150 grand, is the best way to go!
Instead of placing all your discretionary funds, into fixing dead end roads, how about the health professionals, Premier?
Telling the truth is not that hard.
They need provide uniforms for all works
Get raid of Malone Smith
Stop thief and rob workers of there time and money
Have them working 12hours and paying 8hour pay
It's goes to salary workers and fortnight workers
Treat housekeeping better than how them doing always leaving them for last when they are important to the hospital.
That Guyana Voodoo Strong. Let's See if her son come back to the lab, He didn't go to school but yet he can work the Machines, and who went to school can't work the machines cause the would brake them.... Make that make Sense
DR. Nicolson of Voodoo
only w**** doctor geting more than 100k. she not completed her exams but geting dat salry more than experinced doctors.