Additional payment warning from HEKIMSEN: “Criminal case is on the way if the law is not followed”

HEKIMSEN President Uzm. Prof. Dr. Adil Kurban emphasized that additional payments of physicians cannot be reduced and warned against unfair practices in universities. Kurban said, “Additional payment is a situation that concerns tens of thousands of physicians. We have petitioned some universities regarding the additional payment, but everyone needs to petition individually. If it is not implemented, our legal association is filing a lawsuit on this issue, but it is no longer an administrative case, but a criminal case can be filed. Please, everyone should comply with the law on this issue.”

HEKIMSEN President Uzm. Prof. Dr. Adil Kurban expressed the problems of physicians and stated that they started a lawsuit process for the implementation of the laws. Stating that 2 years ago, as a result of the lawsuit they filed, the Council of State canceled many articles related to the additional payment regulation, Kurban reminded that the additional payments of physicians who have been penalized for any disciplinary penalty or action can no longer be reduced. Kurban stated that there is a regulation stating that physicians working in universities cannot receive less additional payment than those working in the public sector, but this is still not implemented. Kurban also pointed out that janitors working in public hospitals receive more overtime pay than physicians during night shifts, stating that the situation is unfair.

“The additional payment that physicians will receive will not be reduced”

HEKIMSEN President Uzm. Prof. Dr. Adil Kurban said, “Many articles related to the additional payment regulation of specialist physicians working in public hospitals, which is actually a regulation, which was defined as a criminal law in the public opinion, were canceled by the Council of State as a result of the lawsuit we filed 2 years ago. What will develop as a result of this? First of all, the coefficient between zero and one, which changes the amount to be distributed to physicians to be applied by the ministry in additional payment, was canceled. In this way, the additional payment that physicians will receive will not be reduced. Secondly, the problem of the additional payment deduction applied to physicians who have received any disciplinary penalty is also eliminated. To summarize this, approximately 60 percent of the supplementary payment portion of the salary of any physician who was penalized for any disciplinary action or action could be deducted.”

“We will work until the Physician Bill is adopted”

Stating that with the decision of the Council of State, no deduction can be made in additional payment due to any penalty received, Kurban said, “Imagine that you receive a penalty and lose 60 percent of your salary. This has been prevented. In addition to this, many coefficients in this law and everything that may cause deductions will be within the scope of our struggle from now on. In this regard, the HEKIMSEN Union and all NGOs will work shoulder to shoulder to establish a fair and equitable health system in Turkey until the Draft Law on Medicine is adopted.”

“Physicians working at universities cannot be paid less than those working in the public sector”

Kurban continued his words as follows:

“There was a clause stating that specialists and assistants working within the Higher Education Council could not earn less than those working in the public sector. This was something that had been in place for a long time and was within our knowledge. However, after the additional payment regulation was changed, while those working in the public sector received relatively better additional payments, in fact they received salaries, those working at universities did not receive anything in return. Think of it like this. One person can get 25 thousand TL as additional payment, while the other gets 2 thousand TL. So there is such a difference. Therefore, those working at universities could not benefit from the additional payment regulation and they suffered a very serious loss of income and became unable to make a living. This article was also canceled as a result of the lawsuit. There is one thing that needs to be implemented for the time being, and that is that all universities need to pay close attention to this. They cannot pay their physicians less than those working in the public sector. Those who do so commit an offense against the regulations and receive disciplinary punishment for not fulfilling their duties. But if the duty is not fulfilled against the law, imprisonment is imposed. In this context, our executive professors in universities may even be subject to criminal prosecution. Now, please, our Higher Education Council (YÖK) and universities, as well as our government, should develop an appropriate policy on this issue and prevent this injustice.”

“By withholding the additional payment of a group whose salary is given with additional payment, you make them unable to make a living”

“We don't make the laws, they are mainly made by the parliament,” Kurban said, adding, ”The ones who are most heavily influential in this are our government party and affiliated parties. Although they are the ones who make the law, the ministries cannot implement it and create provisions contrary to the law through regulations, which disrupts the system, the balance and creates unrest. This is a cause of chaos. By withholding the additional payment of a group of people whose salaries are paid with additional payment, you make them unable to make a living. Because of this injustice and inaccuracy, unfortunately, this system has continued until today. My colleagues should apply to the HEKIMSEN legal unit, have a petition prepared and submit this petition to their institutions. For 60 days retrospectively, they have the chance to receive their additional payments.”

“The system needs to be organized in a logical, rational way”

Pointing out that incomes vary in universities with medical faculties, Adil Kurban said, “Unfortunately, the general opinion is as follows: 'We will share this income among us as additional payment', all professors and employees say. In this case, there is nothing left for the physicians working at the medical faculty, but on the other hand, there are universities without a medical faculty. This is unfair to them. The system needs to be organized in a logical, rational way. If this is not done, know that there will be no peace in health,” he said.

“Physicians become unable to make a living when they cannot receive additional payments”

Stating that they have received notifications from physicians regarding additional payment, Kurban said, “Additional payment is a situation that concerns tens of thousands of physicians. We have petitioned some universities about the additional payment, but everyone needs to petition individually. On the other hand, if it is not implemented, our legal association is filing an administrative lawsuit on this issue. But it is no longer an administrative case, but a criminal case can be filed. Please, everyone should abide by the law on this issue. A physician working at a university can receive more than 20 thousand less per month than a public employee. This is a very serious amount. The additional payment these people receive is 60-70 percent of all income. Therefore, when physicians cannot receive additional payments, they cannot make a living.”

“Our servants working in public hospitals receive more money than physicians during night shifts”

Stating that there are some practices that are very surprising, Kurban said, “For example, our servants working in public hospitals receive more money than physicians during night shifts. I am not insulting anyone's work, it is not my place or right. I am not talking about such a thing, but while physicians and nurses are the ones who do the main work, I am sorry, while the physician receives 100 liras on the night shift, our servant receives 300 liras. Excuse me, is this acceptable? If an application is to be made, it cannot start in an unfair way.”