Medical Superintendant

Assalamualaikum w. w.

First of all Doctors Mess would like to wish all our muslim readers in welcoming the month of Ramadhan. Hopefully we will all be blessed during this holy month and our 'amal ibadat' be accepted Amin.

Secondly, we'd also like to congratulate Dr Hjh Norlila (ex-CEO of RIPAS) on being promoted as the new Director General in the Ministry of Health. We all wish the best for her, and we'll promise to try and make her life the least miserable as possible...hehe... kidding.. (ops there goes my promotion). We all know it's a very tough and challenging post and we will try to support her as much possible, and I think it's fair to say that the majority of the doctors are very happy with the appointment made so far. All the best to Dr Hjh Norlila and congratulations again.

Now back to business. I'm sure most of us have heard and if not been to the recent meeting that was held between our DG and the RIPAS doctors at the lecture hall in RIPAS Hospital. For those who couldn't make it, the outcome of the meeting was to nominate a medical superintendant.

What would be the task of the medical superintendant? Unfortunately we don't have the official job description yet... however from the talk that our DG gave we gather that the person that will be appointed will be tasked MAINLY to look after the welfare of the doctors working in the medical services. This means he/she will ensure that issues pertaining salary, allowances, housing, and others that is within the realms of welfare for the doctors are taken care of. The medical superintendant is suppose to be the link between the doctors and the DG, and is responsible to ensure that there is minimal delay in addressing these welfare issues. As for promotion, we not sure if the medical superintendant has authority to promote doctors but I'm sure the M.S. can recommend them to the DG.

The DG also conveyed the message that our ministry is seriously looking into this welfare issue and is working very hard to ensure that our welfare is looked after. The ministry would like to make sure our doctors are happy working in Brunei and will continue to stay working here.

The medical superintendant will be chosen from amongst the Local Specialists and will be working directly with DG, thereby bypassing the CEO of RIPAS. And will receive a certain amount of allowances which we are not sure yet of the figure. Apparently this post is not something new. Before there was CEO and Director General, the medical superintendant post had already existed, but after the Ministry of Health was reorganized, the medical superintendant post was replaced with CEO, and since was left vacant until now.

So who has been nominated? That we don't know but we've heard a few names being mentioned several times. Perhaps it's too soon to mention. However that person will have a busy task ahead because as well as performing their responsibility as a medical superintendant, he/she would have to perform their normal clinical duties. Whoever it is we wish them the best. May god mercy on their soul coz these bunch of doctors are quite feisty! Kidding.. ofcourse we are very nice people aren't we ;-) Aammton that includes you, behave yourself!

Next post insyallah we will give an update on the current efforts made by the ministry of health to improve our welfare. This involves On-Call Allowances, proposed salary scale and other allowances. Happy Fasting!