Greater Focus to be Placed on Customer Service at Public Health Facilities

The Government will be placing greater emphasis on improving the level of customer service that is provided at public hospitals and other health facilities islandwide.
This according to Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Carlton Davis, who, at the launch of Civil Service week on Monday (Nov. 20) at the Ministry of Finance and Planning’s Heroes’ Circle offices noted that while surveys had shown that there had been significant changes in the services offered by government agencies, there was still a need for improvements particularly in the attitude of many government workers.
As such, he said that the Cabinet Office, through the Public Sector Reform Unit would provide high quality customer service by modernising and transforming public health institutions.
“More focus will be given to those areas that are serving the poor and vulnerable elements in the society, so we will be placing a greater focus on public hospitals and health services. It is not always a case of money. People have used money as an excuse for (bad) attitude. I have been to well-appointed hospitals and I have seen attitudinal issues, which has nothing to do with physical resources,” he said.
Dr. Davis noted that this year’s Civil Service Week theme ‘Enhancing Customer Service Through Modernisation and Transformation’ was not an idle one. “Some people are cynical about these themes because they think that someone just comes up with a creative idea and then forget about it after the week has passed. This is not an idle theme.this is no mere formality,” he said.
The theme, he said was relevant and apt for the government agencies because “they have demonstrated significant improvements in the quality of the services that they offer the public through modernisation and transformation, and there has also been transformation in the attitude of the persons who serve the public”.
Meanwhile, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Fitz Jackson urged public sector workers to ensure that they have the right attitude when dealing with the public.
“It is our attitude that makes the greatest impact on the customers and people of Jamaica who access the government services from time to time. Good attitude is not something that we can legislate; good attitude is a function of the value that we chose to adhere to in our lives,” he said.
Mr. Jackson noted that the first level of modernisation and transformation must begin with a change in attitude. A number of persons were recognised for their contributions to the government and the Jamaican public.