The saga continues around the outline shortening the interns’ shifts, the Ministry of Finance announced today that it will transfer the necessary budgets for the implementation of the outline, but the move is intended to evade criticism of the non-transfer of the budget. In practice – the Ministry of Finance and the Medical Association will not sign the application report
The saga surrounding the interns’ protest and the outline for shortening shifts continues, and the outline that is due to take effect this coming Friday is still facing difficulties. Despite his opposition, the Ministry of Finance announced today (Wednesday) that it will transfer NIS 66 million to the Ministry of Health in favor of implementing the outline to shorten the interns’ shifts.
According to the Ministry of Finance announcement, increasing the number of interns in the hospitals will be done while balancing the expected harm to the HMOs by creating strategic collaborations between the hospitals and the HMOs through expanding the model of interns in community funding.
The director general of the Ministry of Finance, Ram Blinkov, said: “This is an important summary that will result in a significant improvement in the connection between the hospitals and the community, a connection whose importance we have seen in dealing with the corona plague. This step is a valuable solution and we will see its effects in the coming years. “
As you may recall, the outline for shortening interns’ shifts is expected to take effect this coming Friday, April 1, and includes adding standards to hospitals to allow for a reduction in workload and shift hours from interns, but its implementation is still experiencing many difficulties.
So far there has been a stubborn struggle between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance, Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz has accused the Ministry of Finance of not passing the agreed budgets for the implementation of the outline, and now the Ministry of Finance move is an exercise designed to evade criticism of non-transfer of budgets.
Despite the transfer of tens of millions, the representatives of the Ministry of Finance will not sign the report of the implementation committee, nor will the members of the Israel Medical Association sign the report, and there are even serious allegations that the outline is not applicable.
Also, fundamental issues such as the question of the salaries of peripheral interns who are expected to be harmed – have not been resolved, and in fact have not been discussed at all. Hospital administrators also voiced their opposition, saying they had not received the necessary measures.