Resident Physicians' Salaries and Incentive Payments: Struggles and Gains
The working conditions, salaries and incentive payments of assistant doctors are an important topic of discussion in the health sector. Especially assistant doctors working in university hospitals frequently encounter problems regarding certain rights and payments. In this article, we will examine in detail the problems experienced by assistant doctors working in the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and the steps taken to solve them.
Status of Assistant Physicians
Resident doctors working in university hospitals are generally considered to be young doctors with a high level of education. However, their salaries and incentive payments are quite low compared to other doctors working in the same hospital. This situation can negatively affect the motivation of resident doctors and reduce the quality of healthcare services.
Legal Struggle and Court Decisions
According to the statements made by Hekimsen, an assistant physician working in the YÖK cadre at a university hospital in Istanbul was receiving less salary and incentive additional payment than the amount paid to assistant physicians in the SBA cadre working at the same hospital. This situation was creating serious injustice among physicians. Therefore, legal proceedings were initiated and an application was made to the court.
The Istanbul Administrative Court evaluated the applications and made an important decision. The court ruled that the commercial income obtained by the administration through the provision of health services should be distributed fairly to all health service personnel. It also emphasized that it should not be less than the payments made to other personnel affiliated with the Ministry of Health.
Details and Importance of the Decision
The court ruled that the salary and incentive payment differences that our resident physician member was deprived of should be paid by calculating backwards from the application date. This decision sets an important precedent for both main branch resident physicians and sub-branch resident physicians.
- Ensuring Justice: The court emphasized that justice should be ensured by protecting the rights of assistant doctors.
- Importance of Legal Processes: It shows that assistant doctors must resort to legal processes to seek their rights.
- Motivation of Physicians: A fair payment system will increase the motivation of physicians and improve the quality of health services.
The Appeal Process and Its Results
The defendant university appealed the court decision, but the Istanbul Regional Administrative Court rejected the appeal and approved the first court decision. This situation was recorded as a gain in favor of assistant doctors.
The rejection of the appeal has also been a glimmer of hope for other assistant doctors working in the health sector. Winning such cases is an important step towards protecting the rights of assistant doctors.
Physicians' Receivables and Equality
At the end of this process, the salaries and incentive payments of assistant doctors working in the YÖK cadre were equalized with those of assistant doctors in the SBA cadre. This situation provided significant equality in the health sector and encouraged other assistant doctors to demand their rights.
This legal victory won by assistant doctors is of critical importance in terms of protecting the rights of employees in the healthcare sector. The result achieved has secured the rights of not only one individual but all assistant doctors.
Future Perspective and Recommendations
More steps need to be taken to improve the working conditions of assistant doctors and to establish a fair salary system. In order to improve the quality of health services and increase the motivation of doctors, the following recommendations should be taken into consideration:
- Fair Compensation: All physicians should be paid equally.
- Legal Support: Legal support should be provided for physicians to seek their rights.
- Improving Working Conditions: Improving the working conditions of physicians will increase their contribution to healthcare services.
As a result, the struggles of assistant doctors regarding salaries and incentive payments have an important place in the health sector. The gains of doctors who demand their rights are an example for all health workers.
