TOWN: EMPLOYERS can lodge a report with the Malaysian Medical Council on doctors who issue medical certificates (MCs) too easily without proper examination.
Malaysian Medical Association president Dr S.R. Manalan said if there was a valid complaint, an investigation could be conducted and the clinic could be raided. "MCs should only be issued after a medical examination. "The council will investigate and if proven guilty, the doctor can either be let off with a warning or face suspension." Dr Manalan was responding to a query on recent reports of doctors who issued MCs without medical examinations and workers who abused their sick leave privileges by feigning illness to obtain MCs. Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Shamsuddin Bardan had said that based on a recent survey, on the average, each employee took about nine days per year of medical leave, or up to four per cent of working time. He had said the system was too lax and because doctors wanted to build a good relationship with their patients, some were too easy on the MCs. Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah had first broached MCs when he said the initial purpose of medical leave was being abused, with doctors selling MCs to those who were not sick. Dr Manalan said many factors had to be considered before an MC was issued. "For example, a driver cannot drive if he has an injured leg, but a receptionist with a similar problem would still be able to do her job and answer calls." He said employees who sought treatment at clinics often complained of diarrhoea, headaches or backaches -- ailment that was difficult to determine unless a thorough examination was done. In such cases, he said the companies should refer their staff for a medical check-up. "The welfare of the workers is the responsibility of the employer. But if employees fake their illnesses, a check-up would scare them and this can cut down on the medical leave they take." On the other hand, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) consultant psychiatric associate professor Dr Jesjeet Singh Gill said if an employee took a great number of days for medical leave there could be an underlying problem. "They could be suffering from anxiety attacks, under stress, or going through depression. "There could be a number of reasons. Employers should first send their staff for a full medical check-up and when medical reasons are eliminated, they should consider counselling." With the cost of absenteeism at about RM100 per day and the additional costs of replacing absent workers, the total loss due to sick leave stands about RM9 billion, or one per cent of Malaysia's gross domestic product of RM850 billion. Cuepacs president Datuk Omar Osman urged heads of government departments to probe cases of civil servants abusing their sick leave. He said civil servants should be mindful of their action so as not to undermine the integrity of the public sector.
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 Minutes of meeting The Meeting with Chief of PSD, Mohd Hatta bin Ahmad on 12th December 2012, 230pm This meeting was organized by collaboration with our Ally sister Association FPMPAM, Dr. Steven Chow and BPFK (Bahagian Perkhidmatan Farmasi Kementerian) . Our thanks to them for this historic meeting. The meeting was attended by Dr. Steven Chow and his Hon Sec Dr. Gong SK, members from MPCN/MPCAM our brothers Dr. Saifuzzaman Yusuf, Dr. Mohd Khafidz Ishak, Dr. Raj Kumar Maharajah, Bro Alex Wong and me (Dr Jim Loi) We introduced ourselves one by one and listen to the opening remarks from En. Mohd Hatta (The Pengarah Penguatkuasa Farmasi). About the attitudes of Enforcement Officers towards the doctors. He listen to our grouses and the complaints that were brought to his attention via online sources like our MPCN facebook postings about unfair treatment and draconian behavior from their Enforcement Officers when visiting our fellow doctors during the audit/inspection and raids. We were made to understand why there is such a visit in the first place. 3 reasons were highlighted … 1.Drugs purchased in huge quantity especially Psychotropics. 2.Poison act needs to be checked and regulated to prevent abuses, both the number 1 and 2 are tied to the information taken from the Pharmaceutical supplier data of sales. 3.The complaints from Public and Police reports made against the clinic. Then they will only act if there is any suspicious activity and they will need to collect data to prosecute if any of such activity is suspected. We asked for their S.O.P. for such a visits and what we should do…this follows after we told them of the high handed actions and abuse by their officers during such ‘raids’….they did apologizes but they are seem to be on defensive side but it thaws out later once we told them it did happen or else we would not be there discussing this point….There is black sheep amongst them too , and they are sincere enough finally to apologized to those whom they have offended…They also shows us their standard SOP …..we were told what to do if any such bad behavior from their officers, Please do the following steps…. 1.Note down the time and date of the incident 2.Note down the names of their Officers involved…There should be 3 of them….One will be outside the site premises…2 will be inside the premise. 3.Note down their behavior and their attitude that caused the problems and if possible take a photo of the ‘crime site and offenders’. 4.And finally report to their portal or their main office….info at www.bpfk.gov.my.  After weeks of preparation, designs works, discussions, our glass sticker and display certificate are finally printed.
As seen above, staffs are working to prepare and send out the envelopes to members. |
