In a recent ST article, it’s reported that consultant doctors (also called “specialists”) in the public sector currently get $10,000 to $60,000 monthly, depending on their speciality and seniority, and that top private doctors can earn more than a million a year.
There is an expected pay rise of 5 to 8 per cent.
MP Fatimah Lateef, an emergency medicine specialist in a public hospital, said she foresees a pay rise of 5 per cent to 8 per cent.
The pay rise is part an effort to stem the flow of doctors leaving the public sector for more lucrative careers in the private sector.
Besides pay, the following are some other common complaints from public sector doctors:
- Too many patients and long hours, causing a poor work-life balance.
- Higher risk of legal problems in the public sector arising from patient complaints, as doctors have far too many patients to handle.
- They prefer to have more autonomy in the way they treat patients.
- Limited employee benefits, including health plans, which are little different from those of other public servants, despite working in the health-care system.
- Better status and recognition by going solo.
Sources: Web archive of ST article in SGH website and this site.
