Latest news with #Pre-GazetteSpecialistIncentivePayment
The Star
19 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
Trainee specialists to receive full allowance
PETALING JAYA: Doctors undergoing supervised work experience (SWE) following their specialist training will now be entitled to full specialist allowances under a new incentive introduced by the Health Ministry. The ministry announced in a statement that the rollout of the Pre-Gazette Specialist Incentive Payment (BIPPW), which ensures that doctors performing specialist-level duties during the mandatory SWE period receive the same financial incentives as fully gazetted specialists. This initiative is in line with the Medical (Amendment) Act 2024, which came into effect on July 1. The BIPPW will be granted immediately upon a doctor's entry into SWE, a transitional stage after completing specialist training, during which they are supervised by senior specialists to assess their clinical competence. The incentive mirrors the existing Specialist Incentive Payment (BIP), offering rates between RM1,900 and RM2,800, depending on the officer's grade (UD/UG10 to UD/UG14). Previously, under the old gazettement process, medical officers only became eligible for BIP after being formally registered as specialists. The restructured framework now streamlines this transition, offering uninterrupted financial recognition for those already working at a specialist level. The ministry said the incentive reflects its commitment to safeguarding the welfare of public healthcare professionals and ensuring continuity in patient care. It also noted that the new legal framework helps address longstanding issues related to specialist recognition and registration under the National Specialist Register (NSR), particularly in fields such as cardiothoracic surgery, family medicine, plastic surgery and general pathology. Meanwhile, the Malaysian Medical Association's Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers and Specialists (MMA Schomos) welcomed the announcement, saying it alleviated concerns that existing specialist allowances might be reduced under the revised gazettement process. 'We take note of the assurance that the specialist allowance will not be reduced in any way under the new NSR-SWE-gazettement model, but is now rebranded as the BIPPW. We are thankful,' the group said in a Facebook post. MMA Schomos also renewed its call for the introduction of a dedicated allowance for subspecialists, stressing the importance of fairly rewarding and retaining highly-trained professionals in advanced medical fields.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Health Ministry approves Pre-Gazette Specialist Incentive Payment
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has approved a new incentive payment, the Pre-Gazette Specialist Incentive Payment, for medical officers undergoing supervised work experience following the completion of specialist training. The Health Ministry said the payment would begin as soon as a medical officer starts their supervised work experience. Supervised work experience refers to the mandatory probationary period during which medical officers, after completing their specialist training, are supervised by a senior medical officer to ensure they are fully competent in fulfilling their roles as specialists. The ministry said the rate would be equivalent to the existing Specialist Incentive Payment and would be determined based on the medical officer's grade (Grades 10 to 14). "Before the Medical Act 1971 was amended in 2024, this process was known as the specialist gazette process, where the medical officer would only receive the Specialist Incentive Payment after completing the gazettement. "The implementation of the Pre-Gazette Specialist Incentive Payment is in line with the Medical Act 2024 (Amendment) (Act A1729), which came into force on July 1," it said today. The ministry said the incentive recognises the responsibilities and workload of medical officers during their supervised work experience, which involves performing duties comparable to those of a qualified specialist. It said specialist training programmes in the country were now more regulated with the enforcement of the amended act. Medical practitioners previously affected by issues surrounding the recognition and registration of specialties, particularly in cardiothoracic surgery, family medicine, plastic surgery and generic pathology, can now be considered for registration. "The ministry is committed to strengthening the national health system and hopes that all medical officers can continue to contribute to the well-being of society," it said.
