The Independent Doctors’ Union (SIM) warned today that “serious errors” persist in the processing of doctors’ salaries in several hospitals, which again failed this month to pay incentives to the new model B Family Health Units.
“Since January, SIM has repeatedly warned of serious errors in the processing of doctors’ salaries in several Local Health Units (ULS)”, but so far “nothing has changed”, it laments in a statement.
According to the union, the Full Dedication supplement is also still not being paid in many Local Health Units (ULS), even after doctors joined this scheme.
“Some ULS have resorted to bureaucratic delaying maneuvers to illegally try to prevent doctors from joining Full Dedication. Others don’t even respond to requests, showing total inoperability and giving reason to the words of the Minister of Health,” criticizes the union, alluding to the minister’s statements about weak leadership in health.
The union says that it has already intervened with the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS) and the Executive Directorate of the SNS, demanding that these shortcomings be corrected immediately.
It says that in May it sent the Ministry of Health “the detailed results” of a survey completed by more than 900 members, which showed “serious failings in several ULS” and “an SNS at various speeds”.
For SIM, this is an “intolerable situation and a serious deception of doctors’ legitimate expectations”.
“We deeply regret that doctors continue to be treated unequally, depending on where they work. If some ULS are able to meet their payments, they should all be able to do so,” it argues.
The SIM also regrets the postponement of the negotiating meeting with the government that was scheduled for Monday, considering that this decision reveals “an unacceptable lack of a sense of urgency” on the part of the government.
It warns of “the already untenable situation” faced by doctors and of “the irreversible damage caused to doctors’ confidence in the leadership of the administrations and the ministerial team”.
The SIM reiterates its willingness to engage in dialogue and resolve this situation, but warns that it cannot “accept any more postponements”.
The president of the National Federation of Doctors, Joana Bordalo e Sá, also lamented the postponement of the meeting to Lusa on Saturday, saying that “this negotiation must take place the faster the better”, otherwise “this summer will be even worse than the others”, since there is still a shortage of doctors in the National Health Service.
The Ministry of Health clarified on Saturday that the meetings were postponed due to changes in the minister’s schedule and the work being done in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance.
“On June 21, the Minister of Health received a summons to attend the Assembly of the Republic on June 28, to debate the Health Emergency Plan, which forced changes to her weekly schedule,” it said in a written reply to Lusa.
The government also said that it has been working on various measures to try to satisfy some of the demands made to the Ministry of Health by the various unions.
