Healthcare minister Petar Moskov announced that next year the "veterans" of emergency healthcare services and the new "recruits", the recent graduates who are on internships, will earn more. It cannot be expected that this way he will be able to block the colossal leaks of staff from the healthcare system of Bulgaria. In Western Europe the pay to doctors is much nicer while working conditions – are manifold better. But at least Sofia will be able to minimize losses of people if such a single gesture becomes a state policy in the long run.
In 2015 wages of nurses working in busy and remote centres of emergency as well as in their subsidiary units will be aligned with those of their counterparts in hospitals. In figures after the promises of Mr. Moskov, who announced an increase of 20%, the emergency staff will receive between 800 and 1000 levs a month as a minimum. With EU funds the state will buy new ambulances equipped with modern equipment. Planned are also repairs of the emergency room. Accordingly, the cars will not travel for the doctors just to measure the temperature of people with the flu. Clearly regulated by strict ordinances and medical standards package, the phone calls to 122 will be pre-screened and sifted. Last but not least Moskov is firm in his view that he will not allow doctors in ambulances to be beaten at work and that the state should ensure their security. The ultimate goal is in two years Bulgaria to have the resources for qualified support to arrive in 15 minutes after a signal.
New Ordinance on interns and specializations will ensure higher salaries and contracts for young doctors. The most benefit from it will derive graduates from "deficient" areas such as pediatrics, infectious diseases, pathology and forensic medicine. They will receive a monthly basic pay between three and four minimum wages, or more than 1,000 levs, not counting bonuses from clinical paths. All hospitals will be obligated to state a number of practitioners, if they want to enter into a contract for an activity with the health fund. According to Moskov, many medical institutions are seeking young professionals and this innovation will help them acquire new staff. Graduates of medical schools will no longer start their specialization after competition, exam or quotas, as now, but will directly enter into a contract of employment under the Labour Code. They will choose between university, regional and all other hospitals that have the necessary accreditation to train them. While a doctor is working in a hospital, he will take also the theoretical university course. Finally, the graduate, together with his/her direct mentor, will sit a state exam to acquire a “narrower” specialisation. Trainees in the status quo (about 3,400) will have three months to decide whether to continue under the current system, or to switch to the new rules. If they choose the model of Moskov, all theoretical hours taken so far will be recognized.
Meanwhile, on the queue for pay rises are also nurses. "The average salary of nurses in Bulgaria is 520 levs, and about 80% of them take less. We want a starting salary equal to three minimum wages for the country," said Milka Vasileva, Chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals. Industry representatives believe that the amount claimed meets the qualifications needed and the great responsibility towards the sick people.
Representatives of the healthcare ministry are ready to start negotiations, and according to Moskov what is necessary is to change the mechanism by which to calculate the remuneration of nurses. Outside the basic monthly pay they currently receive benefits based on the number of patients passed through clinics. The idea is the future income of nurses to be determined depending on the attestation, qualification and the results of their work, which hat does not guarantee that each of them will receive more money.
