Overall IPD services to be scaled down to minimum
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Aug 26: In a possible setback for the drug de-addiction and mental health services offered by the GMC Srinagar’s Department of Psychiatry, authorities have decided to halt In-Patient Department (IPD) services at the Community General Hospital Unit in the SMHS Complex. This comes as part of an effort to scale down overall IPD services at the Government Psychiatric Disease Hospital due to a severe shortage of manpower.
The decision was reached during a meeting convened on August 25 to address the pressing issue of inadequate staffing. The shortage, as per the details, has become particularly acute after the disengagement of 28 personnel engaged under the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP)
According to the meeting’s minutes, the cessation of IPD services at the Community General Hospital Unit in the SMHS Complex will continue until the manpower crisis is resolved while only severe cases necessitating admission will be accepted at the Government Psychiatric Disease Hospital in Rainawari.
The meeting decided, “Services including de-addiction and General Psychiatry etc will be stopped at CGHU and will be catered to at Government Psychiatric Disease Hospital Srinagar (Main Hospital) at Rainawari. In order to optimize patient care services, the IPD services at Government Psychiatric Diseases Hospital Srinagar will be scaled down to the bare minimum, and only severely ill patients will be admitted.”
Headed by Prof. Dr. Mohammad Maqbool Dar, the Head of the Department of Psychiatry, the meeting took place in the department’s office chambers and its primary agenda was to discuss the fallout from the cessation of services by the 28 personnel engaged under the NMHP and to outline contingency measures.
Further decisions from the meeting outlined the limitation of ElectroConvulsive Therapy services at the Government Psychiatric Disease Hospital Srinagar to three days per week.
Additionally, the Main Reception and Discharge (MRD) section at the same hospital, as per the minutes, will remain functional only until 5 PM, as it was before the hiring of personnel under the NMHP.
In response to the staff shortage, the manual Out-Patient Department (OPD) tickets, it has been decided, will be available with the emergency staff for urgent cases. The meeting emphasized that these measures are necessary to maintain the quality of patient care for severely ill individuals.
The meeting began by highlighting the existing gap between available manpower and the demands of patient load and services. Dr Ajaz Ahmad Baba, the Medical Superintendent of the Government Psychiatric Disease Hospital, detailed the staffing deficiency due to unfilled and vacant positions, particularly in the multi-tasking staff category. Out of a sanctioned strength of 69, only 31 positions are filled, leaving 38 posts vacant.
The discussion further pointed out that the impact of discontinuing the services of the 28 personnel engaged under the National Mental Health Programme was compounded by the pre-existing staff shortage. The minutes stated, “The existing deployment of the staff as well as the gaps that will be created because of the cessation of the services of the hired personnel were detailed.”
Authorities have already informed the Principal/Dean of Government Medical College, Srinagar, and higher officials about the severe staff shortage and the impending crisis due to the cessation of these personnel.
Waiting for a positive response to mitigate the crisis, the meeting attendees decided to implement certain contingency measures to ensure that essential patient care areas are minimally affected. “While awaiting a positive response to address the crisis, the meeting concluded that certain contingency measures are inevitable. These measures are needed to align the services provided with the available manpower, minimizing disruption to essential patient care areas.”
It is important to note that on August 19 of this year, the Medical Superintendent of the Government Psychiatric Disease Hospital wrote a letter to the Principal of the Government Medical College in Srinagar. In the letter, it was highlighted that the disengagement of personnel appointed under the NMHP could potentially lead to a crisis. Arrangements were urged to be made to secure funds for the continuation of temporary employees for the next 2-3 years, or until the vacant positions are filled.
Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts, both the Head of the Psychiatry Department, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Maqbool Dar, and the Principal of GMC Srinagar, Dr. Masood Tanvir, did not respond to calls from Excelsior seeking official stand on the matter.
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