`No haemorrhage` of doctors from health centres

The Medical Association of Malta should not give the impression that there is a continuous haemorrhage of doctors from health centres, the health division said in reply to MAM`s statement on Wednesday.

Last year, only one doctor resigned and there was one other resignation this year. Both were doctors who went overseas to further their studies, the division said.

In its statement, MAM had defended itself against charges that it was resisting a change in roster for health centres, saying there had been no proposals on the matter since the new MAM council was elected in August.

It had pointed out that the complement of doctors in health centres stood at around 40 per cent of what was needed and blamed the shortage on poor working conditions that had led scores of them to leave the service.

While confirming that no discussions on a change in the health centre doctors` roster have been held with the new MAM council, numerous proposals in the past had been turned down, the division said.

The number of doctors currently working in health centres was 76, of whom 13 were on unpaid leave, or reduced hours. In addition, there were a number of doctors working on part-time basis.

This meant that the number of doctors effectively working in health centres approached 70 per cent of the required complement, the division said.

With regard to the reimbursement of transport expenses, discussions were currently being held between the division and the association in order to review the rate.

In its statement, MAM had maintained that doctors` car reimbursements have continued to be taxed in spite of repeated assurances to the contrary last January. Moreover, health centre doctors were only being offered about 50 per cent of the sum given to other professionals in other ministries as reimbursement for the use of their car.

The division pointed out that while car allowance for other professionals in other ministries formed part of a package agreed to in a collective agreement, the reimbursement of transport expenses for health centre doctors did not form part of such a package, but was based on a calculation of expenses actually incurred by health centre doctors in running their car.

"Rather than stating that the health division is not learning from past mistakes, it appears that MAM is once again trying to compare things which are not comparable, in a feeble attempt to take a presumed negotiating advantage."