MAM protests over government's failure to promote doctors

Chris Farrugia

May 29th 2009, 22:26

@alfred briffa.... do u have any idea what u r talking about? I was an sho when i left malta to Oz1 1/2 years ago. The chances of moving on in my career at MDH were poor because there was no defined system for career advancing. Here in australia I got a registrar and training position in less than a year and I have a clear 3 1/2 year pathway ahead to reach consultancy. It would have taken me at least another 3-6 years in malta to become a registrar and god knows how long to become a consultant.

It is not easy for the goverment to promote senior registrars to consultants because by doing so you are not just promoting an individual but you are CREATING A TEAM. When a consultant is appointed you have created a firm and you must supply this consultant with a house officer and an sho or registrar to manage the team. Where should all these doctors come when we all know about the shortage.

Andrew Cassar

May 29th 2009, 16:58

@Alfred Briffa
It is irrelevant what you think....because the government has actually signed an agreement that these posts are to come out by March 2008. So just like you can't go back on an agreement.....not even the government can!!! If you feel sick because someone is fighting for what is legally theirs I suggest you go see a doctor, because something is seriously wrong with you!

@Ray Schembri
None of these would-be consultants are currently working in an office....because all these posts are clinical posts (Surgery, Obs&Gynae etc etc) and Resident Specialists don't even have an office at Mater Dei.

@Ramon Micallef
No this issue was not sorted recently as this has nothing to do with health centre GPs. This issue has been talked about around a table for the past 2 years and its been postponed and postponed by the government ever since.....so it is certainly not sudden

Reuben Griscti

May 29th 2009, 15:16

@ABriffa
What on EARTH are you talking about??Promotions galore?Do you even understand the terms used in the various call for applications issued??the ONLY jobs applications that are issued on a relatively regular basis (often a few months late) are those for Senior House Officers,the next step after two years of being THE most junior doctor on the team. The reason they come out regularly is that,up until two years ago,most doctors who left were desperately trying to train and specialise but felt stuck at this level (which only offers basic specialist training) so HAD NO CHOICE but to leave. And a Consultant-led team cannot function without trainees at this level! A handful of lucky individuals would get promoted to the next level (Higher Secualist Trainee) but then often have no idea when they would move up to the next level,that of a consultant. The average waiting time for this final step,for a handful of lucky individuals was approx 10-15yrs,often within 10-15yrs (or less) of retirement!this is not to say there isn't a need for consultants: A&E was left with just one consultant for YEARS,& now only has three,who thankfully are very hardworking!an equivalent department in the UK would have TEN!!!

KCaruana

May 29th 2009, 14:42

@Briffa I suggest you go and actually look at the registrars and SHO's employed instead of just posts advertised. We're not talking consultant posts necessarily, but even career progression from SHO to registrar. Some people have been SHO's for almost a decade - does that sound like career progression to you? In the Uk people in specialist training become CONSULTANTS - not just registrars, within 5-8 years.
Yes, this is one of the reasons why doctors are leaving. Postgraduate training, career progression, working conditions and renumeration. Just because we're doctors doesn't mean we have to work for free and have to be happy to work at low grades for ever. Who doesn't want to advance in his career??!
Wake up - doctors are human beings with wants and needs. No one studies for 5 years in one of the hardest courses just to remain a low-level employee all his life.

Ray Schembri

May 29th 2009, 14:34

Well, it would be interesting to know how many of these would-be consultants are currently working in an office !

N.Grima

May 29th 2009, 14:28

@Alfred Briffa: Most doctors do not want any part of the Indian camp you described since being a Chief means not practising medicine. You need to understand that in public service, the only way to get a proper pay rise is through a promotion. It's normal even in the private sector to have even hefty bumps in pay following periods meant to prove oneself. Salaries across the island are low, but doctors are a special case because the free health system kills competition and hence reaching the equilibrium salary level doctors deserve. These doctors gave up going abroad for a number of reasons (e.g. having a young child), but in doing so they would usually have made tight calculations for the future taking the collective agreement's effect as a "given"... hence their projections have been ruined and they find themselves in an undeserved pickle.

As to university, I agree with Dr. Tortell Pisani... friends of mine who continued their medical studies abroad voice the opinion that the UM has a very, very tough course of the highest level (indeed, otherwise why would these graduates be accepted with open arms abroad?) Mine was not, and I despise it for that!!

R. Borg

May 29th 2009, 13:44

@ Alfred Briffa: Just shows how brainwashed you are. We are in need of doctors which this gvernment is failing to give and you call against MAM!! Only in Malta!

Leo Said

May 29th 2009, 13:30

Indeed, as Alfred Briffa remarks, it is very possible that government hospitals in Malta have far too many chiefs (consultants) than Indians (excellent registrars and diligent young house officers).

Certainly one factor in the current undesirable scenario.

M. Debono

May 29th 2009, 12:46

In Malta, in order for doctors to get a promotion, first you have to get all the necessary qualifications, and when a post is available, one have to compete with many other doctors in order to get your merited promotion. Some doctors have waited for more than 10 years in order to get their promotion after acquiring the necessary qualifications.

On the other hand in the UK, once a doctor gets the necessary qualifications he is automatically promoted.

It the 2007 agreement, this was one of the issues tackled, in order to keep doctors from going abroad. If the government is not going to honour the agreement AGAIN, he will lose even more doctors than before.

A Borg

May 29th 2009, 12:36

mr briffa

please don't speak about things you don't understand. generally doctors get promoted according to their expertise. what, you expect a graduated doctor, possibly with a masters if not phD and an MRCP to remain as a senior housman officer and get paid circa 30 000 euro p.a.

when the very same qualification abroad put you way forward. this is ridiculous. doctors spend 5 years in basic medical training, two to get their warrant, a futher one-three years for a possible pHD and even up to 7 years for a specialisation. and you grumble about promotions??? i'd like to see how many professionals in other fields spend so much time furthering their studies.

Alfred Briffa

May 29th 2009, 11:18

This is unbelievable....promotions for the medical profession flows like a river throughout the whole year. One can confirm this by going on the Health Ministry web site and search for circulars issued through out these recent years. Promotions galore!
The situation is as bad as it is now, because there are more chiefs that Indians in our Hospitals especially Mater Dei Hospital and Mount Carmel Hospital.
Wards are being sliced in pieces to house these multitude of consultants, ass. consultants etc.
Come on, Dr Balzan et al. !! YOU ARE MAKING US, SICK! (and that's the opposite to the Hyppocratic Oath you are supposed to follow)!!
Is this another excuse to try to get what you want because of the MEP elections?
Il-huta min rasha tintenn!!

J Caruana

May 29th 2009, 09:24

Well done MAM for finally standing up for the rights of middle grade doctors, who provide so much of the service to the general public in return for so little!

Dr Savior Tortell Pisani

May 29th 2009, 08:14

Now THAT is a much more plausible explanation for Malta's shortage of doctors...

... And certainly a much better explanation than blaming it all on the University for maintaining its high standards of medical training!.... All Ministers Please Take Note!! Thank You!

STP

Ramon Micallef

May 29th 2009, 07:57

hey....take a break guys...

whay wasn't this issue also sorted on the table last week ?

... and why all this pressure on the government all of a sudden?