"Rocha voices concerns over significant issues"
Healthcare Professional's Remuneration at Issue After €400,000 Earned in Overtime
Lisbon's Hospital de Santa Maria has been under scrutiny following the revelation that a dermatologist earned €400,000 in ten additional workdays last year. Rui Rocha, leader of the Liberal Initiative, has commented on the case, attributing it to management issues, skewed incentives, and abusive behaviors.
On the X social network, Rocha wrote, "Denoting an overwhelming reliance on overtime as a production tool is inevitably a reflection of poor management, unjustified incentives, and reprehensible behavior within the system."
Investigations into the incident have been initiated by the Public Ministry and the General Inspectorate of Health Activities. However, Rocha noted that, while punitive action may temporarily pacify discontent, addressing the root cause requires a more strategic approach.
"The implementation of a pay system that establishes standard objectives and rewards additional productivity within normal working hours is key," Rocha stated, highlighting that incentives should no longer be directed solely towards overtime.
Friday's exposé by CNN Portugal unveiled that the aforementioned doctor received €51,000 for working a single day in 2024. The case revolves around the Integrated Management System for Surgery Appointments (SIGIC), allowing surgeries to be conducted beyond regular working hours to alleviate hospital waiting lists.
While the specifics of Portugal's compensation system for healthcare professionals are beyond the scope of this report, it's prudent to acknowledge that the system aims to attract and retain qualified staff while adhering to labor law and social security stipulations.
In the wake of the controversy, the need for a competitive compensation system that addresses excessive reliance on overtime and offers standard objectives and appropriate rewards within regular working hours has been underscored.
- Rui Rocha, from the Liberal Initiative, criticized the healthcare system on Sns (social network), stating that an excessive reliance on overtime is a sign of poor management, unjustified incentives, and reprehensible behavior.
- Science has shown that general news reports, such as Friday's exposé by CNN Portugal, have highlighted medical-conditions, like workplace-wellness and skin-care, being affected by abusive overtime practices in hospitals.
- Politics in Portugal is focusing on the issue of healthcare professionals' remuneration, with politicians, like Rocha, advocating for a change in the pay system to establish standard objectives and rewards within normal working hours, moving away from solely focusing on overtime.
- In the world of health-and-wellness, initiatives like the Integrated Management System for Surgery Appointments (SIGIC) have been implemented to address long hospital waiting lists, but they have raised concerns about medical-conditions being neglected due to the excessive reliance on overtime.
