They are in resignation procedures doctors of the ICU at EMPTYafter the decision of the Ministry of Health to cover on-calls at the hospital of Agios Nikolaos.
In their letter to the Dean of the School of Medicine of the University of Crete and to the administrations of PAGNI and the 7th Ministry of Health of Crete, the doctors refer to a decision taken in their absence by the administration of the Ministry of Health, while they also refer to staff shortages.
The resignation letter in detail:
“Dear Ms. Dean, honorable gentlemen
With this letter I am notifying you of the decision to resign all faculty members from the clinical work and all permanent qualified Doctors of the National Health Service who serve in the Intensive Care Clinic of PAGNI.
We are forced to take this action after the decision of the Administration of the Ministry of Health, to move with “authorized” doctors of the Intensive Care Clinic PAGNI to cover on-calls in the ICU of the Ag Hospital. Nikolaou, as we consider this decision, which was taken in our absence, insulting and discrediting our work, and not applicable under the current circumstances.
As you probably know, the Clinic’s medical staff has been significantly reduced in the last year, after the departure of 7 (seven) specialist doctors, while most specialist positions remain vacant.
Under the sole responsibility of the administration of the Ministry of Health, none of the 6 (six) positions of NHS doctors (2 supervisors A’ and 4 supervisors B’) requested by the PAGNI Board of Directors’ letter from February 2024, were announced, while 3 ( three) announcements for positions of NHS doctors throughout Greece this year.
As a result, in order to cover a safe on-call schedule and in order not to reduce the number of nursing beds, all the doctors of the Clinic operate in an over-on-call regime, performing 3 or more on-calls above the upper limit of on-calls per level.
While the management and doctors of the PAGNI ICU recognize the debt we owe to our patients, having treated more than 700 patients already in 2024, several of whom needed operations and treatments that are only carried out in PAGNI, the administration of the Ministry of Health in practice ignores our efforts and makes the work of our clinic difficult. In particular, under the sole responsibility of the administration of the Ministry of Health, none of the 6 (six) positions of NHS doctors requested by a letter from the PAGNI Board of Directors from February 2024 were advertised, while 3 notices of NHS doctor positions have already been made throughout Greece this year.
Thus, and while in December 2024 the on-call program of the PAGNI ICU is covered with doctors of all ranks, to be on call 10 and 11 days a month, the Ministry of Health decided to impose once again, the on-call coverage by doctors of the PAGNI ICU in the GN Agios Nikolaos.
On the occasion of the present situation, we declare that we disagree as hospital doctors with the tactic of moving medical personnel to meet the permanent needs of neighboring hospitals, which we judge as unsafe and ineffective.
We therefore consider that the latest action of the Administration of the Ministry of Health confirms the continuous discrediting of the work and the extra efforts of the doctors of the PAGNI ICU Clinic. Therefore, for reasons of principle, dignity and scientific responsibility, our work at the PAGNI ICU under these conditions cannot continue and we submit our resignation to you.
Source: iatropedia.gr