Who is going to bell the cat?

Feb 01, 2024 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Kaieteur News – There is a fundamental difference between being “on call” and working “overtime”. Being “on call” typically means that you’re available to work if needed during a specified period, but you’re not actively working unless called upon. You might need to be reachable by phone or other means and be ready to respond to emergencies or situations that require your expertise.

Working “overtime,” on the other hand, means you’re actively working beyond your regular scheduled hours. This could be due to a variety of reasons, such as meeting deadlines, handling a surge in workload, or fulfilling specific project requirements. Overtime work often involves being physically present at your workplace or engaged in work-related activities for an extended duration beyond what is considered normal or standard.

Being on call and overtime work are distinct aspects of employment that merit separate compensation considerations. While being on call requires professionals like doctors to remain available to respond to emergencies outside regular working hours, it does not necessarily involve actively performing work during that time. Compensation for being on call often involves a fixed sum paid for the availability and readiness to respond, as well as additional payment for each call visit, recognizing the inconvenience and commitment required.

Overtime work, on the other hand, entails actively working beyond standard hours and is typically compensated separately based on applicable labor laws or contractual agreements. Therefore, being on call does not inherently entitle someone to payment for overtime work, as the two serve different purposes and involve different expectations and compensatory structures.

The problem with compensation for doctors, however, goes beyond being on call or being paid for overtime work. There are broader issues which need addressing. Doctors should be paid better and when working for the government should not have to moonlight in order to enjoy a decent pay. Doctors deserve more than a decent pay.

Compensation concerns within the medical profession extend beyond the scope of on-call duties or overtime pay. While these are significant aspects, broader systemic issues demand attention. It’s crucial to address the fundamental matter of doctors’ remuneration, ensuring they receive fair compensation reflective of their expertise and the demanding nature of their profession.

Particularly concerning is the scenario where doctors, especially those employed by the government, feel compelled to seek additional income through moonlighting because of the huge financial rewards that they bring. Unlike nurses who are being lost to foreign countries, this is not as major a problem with doctors since they receive great returns when they moonlight and even sunlight, at private medical institutions.

But this practice of working with having both a government and private practice is fraught with concerns. For one, there is an ethical issue as whether a person in public practice should be able to treat the same patient in private practice. There is also the concern as to whether some doctors are using their practice in government health institutions to secure patients for their private clinics or whether some of their patients in private clinics are being referred to government institutions when these persons can no longer afford to pay for their private treatment.

Having to serve two masters also poses risks to patient care and physician well-being, by potentially overburdening medical professionals and compromising their ability to provide optimal care. Greater discipline is needed in the management of the medical profession and a decision has to be made about this practice of doctors working in government institutions also holding down private practices.

The doctors will complain that the pay they receive really cannot compensate them. So why then are they working within the public service and part-time in private practice? Why do they not work full-time in private practice?

The government has to draw the line. It cannot allow this situation to fester. It is counterproductive to health care. What is even more amazing is that the more government spends on public healthcare, the greater the expansion of private hospitals and clinics. This tells as a story by itself. The solution is to pay our doctors handsomely. But having being paid a handsome salary, these doctors must make a choice. They either stick to public practice or resign completely and working in the thriving healthcare private sector. But who is going to bell the cat. The doctors have their friends in the government and there is no way that the PPPC government is going to limit the moonlight of doctors, regardless of ethical concerns, or because of a conflict of interest.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

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• actively, difference, fundamental, Peeping Tom, workload

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