Dzulkefly: More time needed to discuss nurses' 45-hour work week with PSD

Summary

• Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad says ministry will request for more time from the Public Service Department to discuss the 45-hour work week for nurses.

• Areas of concern include staff welfare and additional burden of duties, he shares.

PARLIAMENT | In the final week of a three-month interim period before the implementation of a 45-hour work week for shift-based staff, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad has appealed for more time.

This is to allow further discussions with the Public Service Department.

Dzulkefly, in his ministry's winding-up speech, was responding to related matters raised during debates of the royal address, as well as further queries from MPs today.

"I am aware and mindful of the grievances and concerns expressed by various parties, especially the nurses," Dzulkefly said over objections to the new directive under the Public Service Remuneration System that would increase weekly working hours from the current 42 hours.

The directive was supposed to take effect on Dec 1 last year, however, the PSD granted a three-month interim period, which is about to end.

"Shift work is different from office work or office hours.

"Therefore, the (health) ministry still has intentions to request (another) interim period or moratorium, so that we can implement the 45-hour work week requested by PSD.

"We hope that we can harmonise this request (from the PSD) with demands from the nurses or nursing programmes," said Dzulkefly in response to royal address debates by Suhaizan Kaiat (Harapan-Pulai), Khoo Poay Teong (Harapan-Kota Melaka), Dr Mohd Yunus Hairi (PN-Kuala Langat), and Dr Alias Razak (PN-Kuala Nerus).

Staff welfare concerns

Areas of concern that need further discussion include staff welfare and the burden of work for nurses in particular, the minister shared.

Multiple stakeholder engagements have been held in the initial interim period to come up with a comprehensive solution - including one with the nurses' union on Feb 20 - but further discussions with the PSD are still necessary on what 42 plus 3 hours mean, Dzulkefly said.

"In reality, the nurses have already been working for more than 42 hours a week because all these while their rest hours were not taken into account.

"So, can we have further discussions so that what has been described as 42 plus 3 hours, will not burden them with more duties?

"This is what we want to harmonise with PSD to reach a win-win agreement so we can solve this situation," he added.

Previously, health portal CodeBlue reported that the 45-hour work week for nurses is longer than Singapore (minimum 38 hours to maximum 42 hours), Indonesia (40 hours), and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service with 38.5 hours.

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