Over 500 Algarve medics have called for Pedro Nunes to resign as a second letter now has been sent from those who have the misfortune to work under the directorship of Pedro Nunes, the Chairman of the Board of the Hospitals of the Algarve Group (CHA).
This damning indictment of Nunes’s management style and of his rudeness towards several of his employees comes less than a month after a first letter was sent from a group of doctors complaining of being harassed, blackmailed and having to work with a lack of materials and essential drugs.
The first letter caused a storm as Nunes denied he was anything less than wonderful, he did not really want to be in the Algarve but thought he ought to stay, while the doctors wondered how they could do their jobs with a lack of drugs, materials and respect for their Director.
The new letter signed by all grades of medical staff including 370 doctors, denounces the current rupture between staff and management of the CHA, laying the blame on Pedro Nunes.
The letter has been signed by well over half of the 500 doctors that work at the three Algarve hospitals that make up the CHA and the signatories say the new letter was in response to rude statements by Pedro Nunes that one doctor as a ‘burro’ i.e. dumb, and others also were less than mentally able. These and other unporofessional statements have already led to Nunes’s behaviour being investigated by his professional body, the Medical Council, of which he used to be the Chairman.
Nunes now has some damage limitation to undertake as this letter will be copied to the Minister of Health, the Chairman of the Medical Association, the Chairman of the Regional Health Board, the Parliamentary Committee on Health, the Algarve’s mayors group AMAL, and the presidents of each of the municipalities of the Algarve.
To receive one letter of complaint is unfortunate but surmountable with the right skills which sadly Nunes does not possess. To receive two letters of complaint serves to highlight a lack of judgement, management skill, empathy, professionalism, tolerance and ability to manage change. The Minister of Heath needs to recognise he has made a mistake and replace Nunes as soon as possible this coming week or the disaster in the Algarve will affect his credibility.
The signatories also refer to the insulting attitude of Pedro Nunes towards the entire population of the Algarve region after he stated that "nothing in the Algarve is normal."
Finally the letter calls for Pedro Nunes to resign before there is a real crisis.
