Health minister must go : 600 rural doctors

“We feel neglected by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra as she listened only to one side. There are many medical workers who disagree with the Public Health Ministry’s implementation of the new medical salary system. That’s why we have to ask Pheu Thai executives to oust Pradit from his ministerial post,” Dr Kriangsak Watcharanukulkiat, president of the Rural Doctors Society, said yesterday.
The move came after rural doctors learnt that the Cabinet resolution on March 31, which backed the Public Health Ministry’s new medical salary system, had cut their monthly income.
The allowance used to be based on job location and number of years worked.
Since the new medical salary system took effect on April 1, the allowance is based on output. An exception is made for those working in remote areas such as the three southernmost provinces. They will receive an allowance based on location, job seniority and output.
The new medical salary system has reduced allowances and they are now not enough to encourage doctors to work in outlying areas.
Already 151 doctors have resigned from rural hospitals and moved back into town to work.
About 600 rural doctors dressed in black were meeting at Asia Hotel to consider ways to respond to the ministry’s measure.
They vowed to strongly protest against the ministry by putting up billboards opposing the pay for performance (P4P) principle, dissemi?nating information and explaining to the public their reason for defying the ministry.
However, eight medical professional organisations issued a statement supporting P4P, saying it is fair for those working hard to provide medical treatment to patients.
The organisations were the Medical Council of Thailand, Medical Association of Thailand, Consortium of Medical Specialties Training Institutions of Thailand, Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council, Nurses Association of Thailand, Dental Council, Pharmacy Council of Thailand and Medical Technology Council.
Pradit met with a group of lecturers from medical schools who asked him to review his plan and explained to him the negative impacts on the healthcare system from P4P.
“The ministry should rescind this method as it does not focus on quality improvement of medical services,” said Thongchai Vachirarojpisan of Chulalongkorn University’s Dentistry Faculty.
Pradit asked them not to drag politics into this issue.
“It would be better if you spent more time taking care of patients,” he said.
They had collected at least 10,000 signatures of rural doctors and medical workers to submit to the Senate speaker seeking to impeach the minister.
However, the Provincial Hospital Network also gathered 28,000 signatures of doctors and medical workers at provincial hospitals to back Pradit. The minister said he would talk with representatives of the Rural Doctors Society to find a way to end the standoff over the issue.