Health Ministry Denies Claims Of 18 Month Specialist Confirmation

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Health director-general Dr Radzi Abu Hassan said no new policy for specialist doctors has been introduced, nor have any guidelines been amended under the Medical Act 1971.
PETALING JAYA: The health ministry has denied that there is a new policy for doctors to undergo an 18-month provisional period before being certified as specialists, up from the previous six months.
Health director-general Dr Radzi Abu Hassan said no such new policy has been introduced, nor have any guidelines been amended under the Medical Act 1971 to that effect.
“The claim that the health ministry requires a confirmation period for specialist doctors up to 18 months and that medical officers would receive less than half the salary they deserve (during that period) is untrue,” he said in a statement.
He was responding to an Utusan Malaysia report which stated that the extension of the confirmation period to 18 months was provided in the amended guidelines under the Medical Act and Chapter F of the General Order.
The Malay daily reported that during this provisional period, doctors are classified as medical officers and receive salaries accordingly, despite performing specialist-level duties.
It quoted a doctor at a hospital in the Klang Valley as saying the new policy also introduces bureaucratic hurdles, such as an extension of the provisional period if a doctor takes more than 15 days’ leave, including sick or maternity leave.
Radzi also said the 2024 amendments to the Medical Act, which essentially legalises the parallel pathway programme, have yet to be enforced.
The amendments were passed by the Dewan Rakyat on July 17 and the Dewan Negara on July 29 last year.
He also said the review of the specialist incentive allowance is in its final stages to ensure compliance with legal requirements.
“Any decision on this matter will be announced once finalised with the relevant central agencies,” he said.
He also said any adjustments to the specialist incentive allowance will only apply to practitioners who complete their specialist training after the enforcement of the 2024 amendments. - FMT

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