A healthcare worker has described parking a vehicle on the compound of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) and entering the facility to execute her duties as a game of Russian roulette, as there is no guarantee that after a day of saving lives her car will still be there.

And, she is not alone. The Jamaica Observer spoke to outraged and frustrated healthcare workers who are demanding immediate action from the hospital’s administration to bolster security measures on the compound, expressing that it is causing them much mental and financial stress.

Their appeal comes almost a year after the Observer reported Sandra Montgomery’s story. Her car was stolen from its parked position at the Papine, St Andrew hospital in October 2023, after she’d taken her mother to the Accident and Emergency Department and was there all day, only to find her car gone when they were finished.

At the time, UHWI Public Relations Officer Nordia Francis-Williams had said that the hospital had measures in place to address vehicle theft, including increased security presence, strategic placement of barriers and chains in car parks, and heightened patrolling by both armed and unarmed personnel.

Fast-forward to two weeks ago, a healthcare worker whose car was stolen from the hospital parking lot told the Sunday Observer that while preparing to go home after a long day, she got a call notifying her that her car had been stolen.

Shocked and confused, she could not comprehend how her car, which had been parked less than 50 metres away from a security post, could have been stolen,

“The area that I was parked in is normally reserved for doctors, and sometimes it’s even difficult for us to get into that area — we have to sometimes show ID if we don’t have the ‘H’ on [the car],” said the healthcare worker, who did not wish to be named.

She further noted that security guards are to log cars that enter the compound, but her was not logged on the day it was stolen, resulting in her spending hours trying to convince them that her car was parked in the area.

The healthcare worker, angered by this, alleged that the security guards were distracted and need proper training. She reasoned that had it not been for a tracking device and the help of the police, she would not have recovered her vehicle.

The Sunday Observer has been told that, since the start of the year, the police have received 14 reports of car theft on the grounds of the hospital.

“Given the number of cars that I hear are being stolen, they should have a proper procedure and protocol in place where… things get moving because the longer it takes, the less the chance is gonna be that you’re gonna find back your car,” the healthcare worker lamented.

“If there are strange vehicles coming into the parking lot [or] people sitting in their vehicles for a long time, these things should raise a [red] flag. They need to try not to be distracted, regardless of who it is. Make sure you are logging all the cars that are coming into the parking lot and being aware, because a lot of us who are parking there are the same people over and over,” she added.

Commanding officer of the St Andrew Central Division Senior Superintendent Rory Martin, while highlighting that there’s been a decline in the number of car thefts on the compound this year when compared to the 26 cars reported stolen during the same period last year, said the area is a hot spot for car theft.

“In response to reports of vehicles being stolen on the compound of The University of the West Indies Mona, inclusive of the hospital compound, we are in dialogue with the security management team, and we have recommended that they reintroduce the use of the coloured card system that drivers are given upon entrance and give back when they are exiting. We have also recommended that they use unique colours per day and not one straight colour across the board,” said the commanding officer.

He said that while there have not been any arrests relating to the thefts, the search
continues to find those responsible.

“Periodically, the patrol will pass through the compound to see if we see any persons who are not visiting for lawful means. When these persons are seen, they are normally picked up for our database, and the monitoring of those persons continues,” he said.

The senior lawman also encouraged those who park on the grounds of the hospital to properly secure their vehicles and refrain from parking in secluded areas.

Another worker, who had their car stolen in February, is of the view that there is a well-oiled car theft operation afoot, and a detailed investigation is needed to catch the culprits.

“My assumption, based on what happened to me, is that persons are heavily connected; it’s just not an arbitrary thing… I think they are making it a point of their duty to target members of staff. Other persons like patients have had their vehicle stolen, but I think there is something there with members of staff,” the worker reasoned.

She stated that the reality of working at a place where car thefts have been reported has caused much mental stress and many workers are on edge.

“It is a very traumatising experience because you know that your car can be stolen, but you [should] kind of have like a sense of security when you’re at work, especially in an area that is allegedly very heavily patrolled by security officers who are stationed on the compound,” she said.

“How much focus can you have in executing your duties every day when it’s like Russian roulette and you’re questioning if you’ll be able to go home today. The insurance coverage to get reimbursed is like pulling teeth, so you are inconvenienced constantly, and there just seems to be no recourse. There is no outcry other than from the individuals [affected]. It just feels like we’re very defenceless in the whole system,” she said.

Similar concerns were raised by another worker who shamed the hospital for placing signs that say employees and visitors are parking at their own risk. As a healthcare worker who travels often to conduct her duties, she believes it is unfair that a company would not seek to protect employees property, especially those needed for work.

“The institution that I work at is supposed to be protecting me, and to say that I park at my own risk, I find that very disturbing. I know a lot of places are doing that now, but I find it unjust and it is unfair. You are supposed to put protective mechanisms in place for your staff and protective mechanisms are not only the security guards,” the worker said.

The healthcare worker demanded better security measures, insisting that car thefts on the institution’s compound cannot continue.