Medical groups concerned with lack of junior staff in anti-bullying task force
Medical groups have raised concern over a lack of representation from healthcare workers in the new task force set up to probe the death of a trainee doctor in Penang and allegations of bullying in the medical fraternity.
In a joint statement today, five medical groups said that they feared the investigation that will be carried out by Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force (HWCITF) might not truly reflect the situation on the ground.
Medical groups have raised concern over a lack of representation from healthcare workers in the new task force set up to probe the death of a trainee doctor in Penang and allegations of bullying in the medical fraternity.
In a joint statement today, five medical groups said that they feared the investigation that will be carried out by Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force (HWCITF) might not truly reflect the situation on the ground.
The five are the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) Section for House Officers and Medical Officers and Specialists (Schomos), MMA Junior Doctors Network (JDN), Hartal Doktor Kontrak, Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia (Imam) and the doctors of Malaysian Medics International (MMI).
“While the task force comprises many prominent individuals who are leading members in their respective fields, we note a glaring lack of representation from healthcare workers on the ground (especially junior doctors) or any medical association.
“It is our concern that this may lead to a severe disconnect from everyday doctors manning our government hospitals and clinics,” they said.
“The aforementioned organisations have convened to brainstorm suggestions to manage the issues of bullying and harassment at the behest of the health ministry. Our consultative group includes representation from all levels of medical practice from house officers to specialists,” the statement said.
Therefore, the groups have submitted their suggestions to the Health Ministry as requested.
“We will always stand ready to provide our grassroots feedback to the task force, lest they be accused of making out-of-touch decisions from their ivory towers,” they added.
Political will ‘important’
Concurring, DAP’s Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said the task force must include house or medical officer representatives and medical NGOs.
Representatives from MMA Schomos and MMI should be allowed to offer their invaluable input to the task force itself, said Yii, who is also the chairperson of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Health, Science and Innovation.
“I urge the minister to also table it in the parliamentary committee to get a bipartisan input and even bipartisan endorsement to boost public confidence in order to better address this issue as it is of huge public importance.
“It is of utmost importance that the ministry acknowledges the existence of such a problem and have the necessary political will to implement a strict, zero-violence policy in all workplaces to curb any toxic environments and even violence among all healthcare workers,” Yii said.
The nine-member HWCITF is led by former Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry secretary-general Siti Hamisah Tapsir, who also previously served as the Higher Education Ministry secretary-general from 2017 to 2019.
Other members are Hamidah Naziadin, who has extensive experience in the field of human resources spanning over 31 years, paediatrician Dr Zabidi Hussin, consultant psychiatrist Dr Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin and International Medical University (IMU) chief executive officer Dr Chong Su Lin.
Also in the task force are lawyer Mohamed Redza Mohamed Abdulla, activist and World Health Organisation representative Manvir Victor and B Sivaramakrishnan, whose expertise is in the field of organisational design and work as well as representatives from the Public Services Department.
The task force is to analyse and evaluate work culture, human resources management of health service staff, and graduate medical officers in particular.
The death of a 25-year-old doctor shortly after he was posted to the Penang General Hospital drew debate and concern over alleged workplace bullying in public hospitals.
The deceased was believed to have plunged to his death from the 23rd floor of his apartment building on April 17.
This is the second death involving junior doctors from the same hospital. In December 2020, a junior doctor resigned and died soon after.
