The Marystown Shipyard Families Alliance says a new provincial occupational health clinic recommended by the Health Accord will have little benefit if certain occupational disease claims are not properly recognized.
The group represents sick and injured workers from the former Marystown Shipyard, including those suffering from industrial disease.
Spokesperson Bernadine Bennett says they have shown that some of the occupational disease claims under their representation that are now before Workplace NL have been misrepresented in the medical reporting. That includes medical reports not correlating with clinical findings and scientific evidence says Bennett.
She says the concerns outlined in the Health Accord have also been presented to the Premier, Health Minister, Workplace NL and other agencies, but the “cluster of misrepresented occupational disease claims” has yet to be recognized.
The alliance says unless the group’s concerns are addressed and changes are made in the “antiquated” medical reporting of occupational disease claims, then an occupational health clinic will do little to address occupational disease claims.