Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
In the wake of reports that untrained and improperly qualified doctors have been given status as medical specialists in T&T, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says the Legislative Review Committee will be addressing this issue.
His comments come as the TT Medical Board (TTMB) tries to make changes to the Specialist Registration Regulations because of the alleged prevalence of unqualified medical specialists.
Last Wednesday, the TTMB met at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Champs Fleurs to discuss the issue.
Also discussed at the meeting were amendments to the Medical Board Act 2024, the Draft Medical Board Specialist Registration Regulations 2024, and the Draft Medical Board (Continuous Professional Development and Training of Medical Practitioners) 2024.
In an interview last week, TTMB presiden Dr Neil Singh expressed concern about “unqualified medical specialists” practising in T&T. Singh confirmed that the Medical Board is currently reviewing its criteria for specialist registration.
“We are very concerned about doctors who are calling themselves specialists and entered into the Register. We are trying to clean this up. Too many of them out there,” he said.
However, Guardian Media was told the three amendments were met with strong opposition from doctors, many of whom have used their specialist and sub-specialist status to set up private medical practices.
Singh explained that if the new amendments were passed, there would be a three to six-month transition period before the new rules take effect.
When contacted for comment on the issue, Minister Deyalsingh said these matters will have to be dealt with by the Legislative Review Committee.
“We wait for MBTT comments to take to the LRC,” he added.
Meanwhile, a TTMB source told Guardian Media that the LRC may be the only option, as doctors have threatened to sue if removed from the Specialist Register.
“The Medical Board may have to back down on implementing quality assurance policies. They are trying to do the right thing but the opposition is very strong,” the source said.
Since last month, the Medical Board has come under fire after allegations of financial impropriety were raised. A forensic audit of all financial transactions within the past five years is expected to take place soon.
The uproar over fake specialists began circulating last week, after it was revealed that the previous criteria, known as “Pathway B,” was deemed woefully inadequate, despite several doctors using it as recently as last year to be added to the specialist register.
Calls were made for the Medical Board to retroactively institute the new regulations to exclude these doctors who were not specialists but who were given the title under the old criteria.
The source said some of these doctors were calling allegedly themselves subspecialists when they did not even meet the revised criteria to be called a specialist.
In a WhatsApp message circulating last Tuesday, concerns were raised about the need to inform the public about the “back door to specialisation”, which allowed doctors to bypass formal training and be entered into a specialist register although they were not qualified.
“In many cases, these individuals have been able to play the system and bypass the regulations due to favouritism, nepotism, and political connections. In some instances, they blatantly advertise themselves online and have managed to attach themselves to several private institutions using similar tactics, often encouraged and promoted by seniors whose primary aim is to monopolise these services for their private practice,” the message read.
“It is not uncommon to see professional titles added to their names in an attempt to validate their supposed qualifications ... unknown to the public, these are often awarded via online application accompanied by an application fee ... the candidates are not assessed in any way except for a short interview, local recommendation, and unsubstantiated claims of having completed specialist training,” the message added.
The post also claimed several of these “back-door” specialists are currently either appointed to or in the running to attain senior posts at the respective regional health authorities, while those who have completed training programmes (Pathway A) sometimes have to look elsewhere for senior jobs or settle for junior positions.
“The public has a right to know who they are going to for advice and treatment at their most vulnerable times of illness. The medical board and the Ministry of Health have a duty to the citizens of T&T to correct this debacle by any means necessary and prevent further instances of this nature,” the message said.
Saying the board was responsible for the problems with fake specialists, calls were made for the doctors to be removed from the specialist register.
“Is someone who practices without proper supervision, who has not been assessed by their peers, never rotated to different subspecialties, and never completed anything resembling basic training allowed to enter the specialist register based on the recommendation of biased supporters with ulterior motives?”
Calls were also made for the Medical Board and the Minister of Health to protect the public from fake specialists who seek to enrich themselves, often at the cost of life.
“Any attempt to reverse these appointments will undoubtedly result in lawsuits and various legal challenges which the MBTT cannot endure in this current climate. Persons will likely be allowed to do as they wish, simply to keep things quiet and avoid any controversy or negative publicity,” the message added.