A quick update, to inform you of some breaking news ! Apparently, the government has finally decided to increase the salaries of public doctors to decent levels !!!
But will this be enough to limit the infamous 'brain drain' ? Answers on a postcard...
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The details will be revealed by the MAM in a meeting at 8pm tonight. Watch this spot....
It was after midnight but finally the deal was approved by the majority, (approximately 20% of the 270 or so doctors voted against). Yes there is more money all around, but there are other more significant aspects of this agreement for juniors: Goodbye SHO and Registrar and hello BST and HST. At last we have structured training grades for which juniors can apply. There will be 4 hours of protected teaching time per week and seniors will receive a handsome teaching allowance (LM3000, if I recall).
Will this be enough to stem the brain drain you ask. I don't think so, but it might slow it down a little. There will always be a bottleneck, and has now shifted to the Senior Registrar level. So if you are not planning to leave Malta, think carefully: which specialty has the fewest consultants?
If I were a junior doctor I would be much happier to see the details of the structured training being proposed, before deciding whether to apply for junior posts elsewhere. Please note that it is the postgraduate associations that are charged with organising this training, although it is rumoured that the government will be advertising a post of postgraduate director.
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