HUNDREDS OF GAUTENG DOCTORS WON'T GET PAID

Hundreds of newly appointed doctors in Gauteng hospitals will not get paid this month because of a foul-up by the Gauteng Health Department and the Gauteng Shared Services Centre (GSSC).

At Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, for instance, a circular from hospital CEO Ms Johanna More advises that payment for staff who started on 1 January will be delayed "due to a backlog at GSSC as they could not manage to appoint some Interns and Registrars. GSSC also rejected the appointments of Medical Officers and Specialists because of Personnel Circular Minute 87 of 2010."

Personnel Circular 87 was issued on 30 November last year to institute a moratorium on all new posts unless written approval was obtained from Head of Department Dr Kamy Chetty.

It appears that a large number of appointments made before 30 November were not put on the payment system because of this circular.

More than 100 interns and medical officers are affected at Baragwanath and are up in arms. Some are threatening not to work on Monday if they are not paid on that day.

I know of one doctor at Dr George Mukhari Hospital who has left in disgust, and we have lost other doctors because GSSC could not confirm their appointments in good time.

This whole situation is outrageous. We suffer from a severe medical skills shortage, but make it difficult to employ medical professionals and then don't pay them on time.

GSSC should work overtime this weekend and ensure that everyone is paid on 31 January..

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesman, January 28 2011

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