Don’t wait until the last minute on nurses’ work hours, says senator

 Dr RA Lingeshwaran says last-minute decisions have already caused undue stress and disrupted hospital staffing.

A senator says the health ministry must act early to avoid a repeat of last-minute delays on the new nurse work hours policy.

PETALING JAYA:

 A senator has urged the health ministry to “stop dragging its feet” on a proposed 45-hour work week for ward nurses. He said repeated last-minute decisions had already caused stress and disrupted staffing in public hospitals.

Dr RA Lingeshwaran said the ministry must resolve the matter well before the June 1 deadline, instead of waiting until the eleventh hour as it did on two previous occasions.

Dr RA Lingeshwaran.

“Now, with nearly two months gone, the ministry seems to be delaying the matter again. Why must it wait until the last minute again? They should resolve it weeks before June 1 to make sure the transition is smooth,” he told FMT.

In March, the public services department extended the interim moratorium on the 45-hour work week for healthcare staff from March 1 to May 31 at the request of the health ministry.

Several nursing groups had opposed the addition of three extra hours to the 42-hour work week for nurses.

Lingeswaran, a former director of Sungai Bakap Hospital in Penang, said health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad must convince the Cabinet to scrap the new requirement to ensure that nurses are not burdened by unfair policies.

“The minister has stated that the well-being of those working these hours would be given priority, with more flexible shifts. But this will not be the solution.

“This group of workers are different from other civil servants. Besides their tough roles as nursing caregivers, they are daughters, wives and mothers. The previous 42-hour work week must be retained,” he said.

Lingeshwaran said the 42-hour work week was necessary to retain staff and prevent a worsening staff shortage. - FMT