Thai Public Health Ministry To Give Answers For Nurses By Next Month

[webfact]

Ministry to give answers for nurses by next month

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Protesters say govt has three months to give them job security or they will quit state hospitals

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry has said that it will start looking for a way to solve the shortage of nursing staff and see if the 17,000 nurses working on temporary contracts can be given permanent status by next month.

This move comes after some 3,000 part-time nurses gathered in front of Government House yesterday and submitted a petition calling for job security and a reduced workload.

The protesters said the government had three months to decide, otherwise all 17,000 nurses currently working on temporary contracts at state hospitals would quit and find work at private hospitals.

Some of these nurses have been working as part-timers for more than 10 years now.

Yesterday, the Public Health Ministry's newly appointed permanent secretary Dr Narong Sahamethaphat said the ministry was working with the Office of the Civil Service Commission and Finance Ministry to find out how temporary nurses could be given civil-servant status.

"I hope that by November we will know how many temporary nurses we can grant permanent contracts to," he told the nurses protesting outside Government House.

The ministry said it would also extend medical and other welfare benefits to not just temporary nurses but to other temporary staff as well. There are about 160,000 people working on a temporary basis for the Public Health Ministry compared to 150,000 civil servants.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri also said he should know by next month how many temporary nurses could be granted permanent employment.

The ministry is also planning to ask the government to allocate another 70,000 civil servant positions to resolve the shortage of medical workers. Of this number, some 17,000 are working as temporary nurses.

However, government agencies are not likely to agree to give permanent contracts to all 17,000 nurses, because it could become a huge financial burden.

Sittipong Siriprathum, 24, said he has been working as a temporary nurse at Khon Kaen's Chum Phae hospital for more than four years since graduating from college, but there is no sign of him getting a civil-servant status.

"I want job security and medical benefits for my entire family. If the Public Health Ministry does not give me civil-servant status, I will seek employment at a private hospital," he said after signing a resignation form, which he expects to hand to the ministry by December.

According to the Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council, the demand for nursing staff from private hospitals had doubled to 2,000 a year over the past five years and some private hospitals pay as much as Bt40,000 a month for nurses who have more than four years experience.

Sittipong said he had decided to work in Chum Phae so he could look after his parents, adding that he was willing to work in rural areas for the rest of his life if the government decided to employ him as a civil servant.

Jaruwan Seadkuntod, 32, said she was thinking of quitting her job at Dankhuntod Hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima province because she had been working as a temporary nurse for 10 years now.

"I have to take care of at least 10 to 15 patients a day. Isn't that tough enough already?" she asked, adding that she would quit and find work at a university hospital in order to get better medical benefits for her family.

In comparison, Wassana Pakpoom, 26, said she would continue working at Kanchanaburi's Bo Ploi hospital even though she has been a temporary nurse for four years now.

"Who will take care of patients if we quit state hospitals and go work at private institutions?" she asked.

However, she said, she still wanted the government to extend medical benefits so her entire family can be covered and employ her as a civil servant.

"We have been making sacrifices to save other people's lives, so do we not deserve to get security for our lives?" she asked.

-- The Nation 2012-10-17

[fareastguy]

While I totally agree with giving these hard working nurses the full time job security & associated rewards I disagree with the government having to pay health benefits for the extended family.

The nurses do indeed work hard, often long hours & save lives each & every day.. but the hospitals are not a charity for parents, brothers/sisters & children.

Fight tooth & nail for better employment terms & conditions but you may achieve more in the long run if you don't hold the government to ransom over extended health benefits.

[siampolee]

There are it seems strange priorities with this current maladministration.Seemingly they claim to represent the people and to hell with the Amart,

Yet when the common people, in this case the nursing profession ask for job security and for their family to be included in a free health care scheme like other government employees it seems as if the P.T.P.maladministration cannot or will not reply quickly..

No doubt if it were to establish another extension to the Ponzi rice pledging scam scheme, the response would be a positive one and instantaneous too.

[hellodolly]

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry has said that it will start looking for a way to solve the shortage of nursing staff and see if the 17,000 nurses working on temporary contracts can be given permanent status by next month.

In other words this is news to them that there was a problem. Right on top of things this government is. Perhaps it is time to get a government that cares for all it's people. Not just the one's who have plenty of money.

[Fozfromoz]

There are it seems strange priorities with this current maladministration.Seemingly they claim to represent the people and to hell with the Amart,

Yet when the common people, in this case the nursing profession ask for job security and for their family to be included in a free health care scheme like other government employees it seems as if the P.T.P.maladministration cannot or will not reply quickly..

No doubt if it were to establish another extension to the Ponzi rice pledging scam scheme, the response would be a positive one and instantaneous too.

Seems to me that this problem has been around longer than this current "maladministration" as you call it. They are being pushed to act. normal democratic stuff. Same profession and same bitches as Australia.

You have obviously got a bee in your bonnet so not sure what rice has to do with this topic?

[asiawatcher]

The Govt for the people as sprouted by the PTP is in fact a total disaster, more interested in bumbling along from self induced disaster to the next. Despite casual employment for up to ten years, if the Govt was serious about doing things to benefit the public, this one would go a long way to showing real intention of making changes rather than a heap of broken promises, rice scams and contracts where funds can be skimmed to line the pockets of corrupt people. Nurses are an essential part of reducing the cost of medical care as they are "at-the-coal-face' in ensuring patients receive palliative care and monitoring of condition so as to avoid more costs. Surely fiscal responsibility of paying more and job security would return a more efficient service to offset what the Govt sees as only a cost?

[siampolee]

Fozfromoz

The current maladministration professes to support the people, thus the nurses request should be met without a qualm.

You might do well to remember that this current maladministration in its various incarnations has been at the helm of the country for a good many years with but a briefi interruption, yet they have held this group of people in limbo over the years and many other groups also

Perhaps if you have lived here for some 21 + years like many of us you would have a true insight as to the reality of Thaksins puppets and their insatiable desire for ultimate control and money.

The Ponzi rice pledging scam scheme is mentioned as a yardstick as to how this self serving maladministration operates according to the master in Dubai

Edited October 17, 2012 by siampolee

[Fozfromoz]

Fozfromoz

The current maladministration professes to support the people, thus the nurses request should be met without a qualm.

You might do well to remember that this current maladministration in its various incarnations has been at the helm of the country for a good many years with but a briefi interruption, yet they have held this group of people in limbo over the years and many other groups also

Perhaps if you have lived here for some 21 + years like many of us you would have a true insight as to the reality of Thaksins puppets and their insatiable desire for ultimate control and money.

The Ponzi rice pledging scam scheme is mentioned as a yardstick as to how this self serving maladministration operates according to the master in Dubai

Ahhhhhhh the old I have been here long than you have line, so listen to me sonny. Thaksin and his puppets around 21 Years ago?

You seem to still be here suffering under this maladministration for +21 years, so can't be the end of the world. Perhaps you are just a cynical grump, or, the way your tone is, perhaps a school teacher.

And..... There is s separate thread on the rice scheme, go and post there, or have you already, but going for double points.

[siampolee]

Fozfromoz

One is tempted to ask , ''why are you here, could you enlighten us as to the facts of the matter.?''

Me.Well I have a family, we have business interests a couple of houses and a farm, yes I am an academic and proud of that fact.

Regarding your kind advice concerning the rice thread ,I am unable to find your name on the list of moderators, I am indeed aware of the structure of this site and I am sure if I had overstepped the bound of propriety a genuine moderator would have chided me.

Methinks that in a battle of wits you are indeed unarmed.

Edited October 17, 2012 by siampolee

[Fozfromoz]

Fozfromoz

One is tempted to ask , ''why are you here, could you enlighten us as to the facts of the matter.?''

Me.Well I have a family, we have business interests a couple of houses and a farm, yes I am an academic and proud of that fact.

Regarding your kind advice concerning the rice thread ,I am unable to find your name on the list of moderators, I am indeed aware of the structure of this site and I am sure if I had overstepped the bound of propriety a genuine moderator would have chided me.

Methinks that in a battle of wits you are indeed unarmed.

Not that I really need to explain that to you, but I am also here setting up business,and married to a Thai, but don't profess to be an expert.

As an academic you may do well to talk to people, not at them, in a condescending manner.

As an academic you would also appreciate that there are people out there that may not have a point of view as identical as yours.

I am sure the nursing problem will be sorted out, even if you don't seem to have any positives on that. I guess that's what this is about.

Have a nice day.

[siampolee]

Indeed you have a great deal to learn abut this country and its people and its business practices.

Now,as an academic I encourage open discussion I do not talk at people I talk to them western style university education ideals, the encouragement of open provocative discussion to achieve a positive result..

Your self acknowledged lack of experience is indeed a commendable statement and you may well find that more than one or two of we condescending types here could and indeed would be both willing and able to offer you guidance in the myriad of mazes constitute business establishment here...

Yes i will have a good day as I normally do as my worries are minimal both business wise and academically. .

[indyuk]

There are it seems strange priorities with this current maladministration.Seemingly they claim to represent the people and to hell with the Amart,

Yet when the common people, in this case the nursing profession ask for job security and for their family to be included in a free health care scheme like other government employees it seems as if the P.T.P.maladministration cannot or will not reply quickly..

No doubt if it were to establish another extension to the Ponzi rice pledging scam scheme, the response would be a positive one and instantaneous too.

If you want to be taken seriously try NOT adding ponzi schemes to you evaluation of Thailand's causes and problems.

The question of how the government, this or the last six governments of Thailand deal with problems is up to each of them

My personal view is that it would be unwise to make nurses into 'civil servants'. The fact is that medical staff have huge bargaining power that will always enjoy popular support. Accordingly there will be industrial action from time to time and the government will always have to buy them off.

I would look to the private sector for a solution. With the private sector buying nurses into permanent employment and renting them out to government hospitals or the private sector hospitals according to demand.

If there remained shortages of nursing personal the government could make a deal with the Philippines government so that Thailand's Nursing Agencies can employ a new tranche Philippine Nursing graduates every year.

[khunken]

There are it seems strange priorities with this current maladministration.Seemingly they claim to represent the people and to hell with the Amart,

Yet when the common people, in this case the nursing profession ask for job security and for their family to be included in a free health care scheme like other government employees it seems as if the P.T.P.maladministration cannot or will not reply quickly..

No doubt if it were to establish another extension to the Ponzi rice pledging scam scheme, the response would be a positive one and instantaneous too.

If you want to be taken seriously try NOT adding ponzi schemes to you evaluation of Thailand's causes and problems.

The question of how the government, this or the last six governments of Thailand deal with problems is up to each of them

My personal view is that it would be unwise to make nurses into 'civil servants'. The fact is that medical staff have huge bargaining power that will always enjoy popular support. Accordingly there will be industrial action from time to time and the government will always have to buy them off.

I would look to the private sector for a solution. With the private sector buying nurses into permanent employment and renting them out to government hospitals or the private sector hospitals according to demand.

If there remained shortages of nursing personal the government could make a deal with the Philippines government so that Thailand's Nursing Agencies can employ a new tranche Philippine Nursing graduates every year.

I find it hard to see anything positive or logical in the above.

Leaving out the rice scheme maladministration, you say nurses shouldn't be taken into the civil service because they might go on strike - ludicrous argument. Well, they're now threatening to go on strike anyway.

'With the private sector buying nurses into permanent employment and renting them out to government hospitals or the private sector hospitals according to demand.' Absolutely crazy idea. So, the private sector pays them (say) B30k a month & rents them out - at what price? This neither addresses the government's cost issue nor does it give the nurses what they want. Lose-lose solution.

Finally putting Filippino nurses into government hospitals without Thai language skills is a no-no. This, apart from the issue of depriving the Philippines of nursing graduates, is the worst set of proposals that could be made.

[RamblingSam]

Well, I would say that there is a very obvious reason why these nurses are still employed as part-time staff, which is because once they get classified as full-time, they can apply for much better-paid jobs in Private hospitals. The solution is as obvious as the nose on the front of my face; nurses are people whom are generally taken for granted as they invairably enter the job because they want to improve the quality of life, of those who suffer illnesses, and many people don't really realise how valuable they are, until you need them. Undoubtably it will soon be 'discovered' that those in the more qualified medical professions have been seeing their earnings increase at a far faster rate than those below them, which will just fuel the nurse's feelings that they are more poorly paid than they initially thought they were, and then this may well turn into a far more corrosive situation.