The Secretary of State for Health relativized this Thursday the criticism of hospital administrators and unions regarding the new temporary remuneration scheme for the complementary work of doctors in the emergency services, anticipating a positive effect of this measure.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the presentation of the Report on the National Viral Hepatitis Program, of the General Directorate of Health, in Paços do Concelho, in Lisbon, António Lacerda Sales expressed his conviction that the amount involved will be sufficient to increase the compensation of physicians on staff and reduce the cost of providing emergency services.
The objective is to balance the values between the provision of services -which were too high- and the doctors on the staff, thus assessing what the work of the doctors on the staff is. This is the main objective and we believe that it will have a positive impact”, he said.
Considering that criticism is always constructive, the official explained that In 2019, more than 180 million euros were spent between the sum of services provided and overtime, while in the first four months of 2022 this amount already reaches 112 million euros. In this sense, he defended the rebalancing of values in the name of the commitment of the professionals who make up the staff.
It corresponds to the central state to provide the means and resources, to the boards of directors to carry out the operational management. It is a rebalancing of values that we believe possible. The addition and subtraction accounts are an operational management and correspond to the boards of directors”, he underlined, noting that “there will be an adaptation” of the institutions to this process.
António Lacerda Sales also affirmed that the diploma course is recent and that its impact is being evaluated, but he reiterated that, “From the point of view of commitment, it is much better to value this work” [dos médicos do quadro do pessoal] in connection with the provision of services.
The diploma approved this month provides for the attribution of autonomy to the hospital administrations of the National Health Service (SNS) to enter into permanent employment contracts with specialists who are service providers and who are necessary for the operation of these health units.
In addition, it grants the administrative councils the autonomy to specifically compensate the additional work performed by the hospital’s staff doctors to ensure the normal functioning of the emergency services.
The values are as follows: 50 euros per hour from hour 51 and up to hour 100 of overtime, 60 euros from hour 101 and up to hour 150 and 70 euros from hour 151 of overtime .
Source: Observadora
