MORE money is not the only reason public sector doctors are
leaving for private practice, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong
believes.
So he has asked the ministry to find out all the other factors
behind the constant attrition of doctors from public hospitals and
polyclinics.
The 310, including 103 specialists, who left last year is the
largest annual exodus of doctors from the public sector to
date.
Mr Gan said earlier this month that the ministry is reviewing
public health-care workers' pay to try to retain them.
But yesterday, he said: 'I'm quite sure salary is not the only
issue. There will be other issues like whether the job is
challenging, interesting, and engaging... whether we allow our
doctors to contribute in the areas they can.'
To get the correct picture, the ministry is engaging 'all
stakeholders' such as doctors and hospital administrators in both
the public and private sectors, he said.
-- ST