PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has devised a new policy under which all doctors in the province will have to work on contract basis with “reduced” salaries.
Daily Mashriq reported that under the new policy, the age limit for doctors’ recruitment on contract basis has been abolished while doctors from other provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir will also be recruited if required. Doctors’ salaries in far flung areas have been increased but it has been reduced in in major cities. Moreover, the contract doctors will not be allowed to do private practice and will avail only weekly off.
The new policy provides that the Medical Officers and general emergency doctors would be called practitioner while Specialist Doctors would be called Consultants. Under new rules, doctors would be recruited for one year through an appointment authority. Two separate departmental selection committees will be set up to make recommendations to the authority regarding the recruitment process.
The authority would be headed by the Regional Director of Health Services or an officer nominated by the Health Secretary. The District Health Officer of the concerned district, the Medical Superintendent of the concerned hospital, a representative nominated by the Health Secretary and the Director General Health Services will be the members of the authority.
Similarly, the departmental selection committee would be comprised of the district health officer, medical superintendent of the district headquarters hospital, nominated representative of the Secretary of Health and two technical persons. The committee may nominate any other person as required.
According to the draft, in order to meet the quorum of the departmental selection committee meeting, at least three members including the chairman would be required to be present. Later, the finance department will approve the creation of vacancies contract employees will not be made permanent in any case.
The age limit for candidates for contract recruitment has been abolished. According to the rules, after receiving more applications from the advertised posts, the candidates will undergo a professional written test and interviews.
The Department of Health will also be authorized to set up a special cell for contract recruitment if it deems it necessary. According to the proposed rules, the contract would be extended and re-advertised three months before the end of the existing contract. In case of non-availability of suitable candidates in the entire province, candidates from other provinces as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir will be recruited. Contract employees would not be entitled to leave other than weekly off whereas in case of extreme emergency they will be able to avail maximum 10 days leave for which the deduction will be made from their salaries. They will not be allowed to do any kind of private practice and under the rules, contract doctors will have to submit their monthly reports.
The contract doctor himself and his family members will not accept any kind of gifts and they will not be able to take part in any political activities including elections. They will not be able to do any kind of business. However, they will not be discharged from duty without notice and employees will not be harassed.
According to the rules, notice will be issued in case of rule violation but in case of serious violation, further action will be taken and the contract doctor would be terminated in case of second violation. The contract doctors will not be promoted and they will not be made permanent, the new policy said.