PUTRAJAYA: The Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force (HWCITF) has found no elements of bullying which allegedly caused the death of a 25-year-old houseman in Penang Hospital earlier this year.
Taskforce chairman Professor Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir said based on its findings, there was no "strong evidence" that connected the death to alleged bullying at the workplace.
"HWCITF maintains this view as long as there is no new information relating to the houseman's death from the police through their investigations on the case.
"More than 60 per cent of our survey respondents described the work culture in the Health Ministry as 'positive' especially in terms of patient care, community and teamwork," she told a press conference here, today.
She also said 20 per cent of respondents were neutral, while the remaining 20 per cent felt the opposite.
Siti Hamisah also confirmed that burnout and bullying within the ministry had occurred but at different levels and not at all health facilities.
"Bullying does not only happen to housemen but also across all ministry staff whether directly or indirectly.
"Among the factors include lack of efficiency, skills and readiness to perform the tasks they are given."
The task force, she added, also found that there were inconsistencies in housemanship training systems within hospitals including long hours, as well as incomprehensive guidelines, to the implementation of housemen flexi-work system.
It also found that there was a need to optimise manpower and facilities to ensure continuity of patient care, and highlighted the need to digitalise workflow.
"Although there are policies, guidelines and rules relating to complaint management and channels in the ministry, HWCITF feels that it needs to be improved and strengthened to ensure confidentiality is practiced in the complaints process to give confidence to the complainant," she added.
The task force presented 10 recommendations, which include, among other things, setting up a Medical Qualifying Committee, houseman candidate screening, standardisation for housemanship training, and improving the E-Houseman system.
A total 110,411 respondents, which included Health Ministry officers and staff, had participated in the survey, which is nearly half of the total workforce in the ministry.
Siti Hamisah said there were more than 40 working group discussions, nine HWCITF meetings, and two briefings to the Health Minister conducted to ensure the comprehensive input and recommendations could be presented to the ministry.
"HWCITF is of the view that a career in the health sector is very challenging and requires individuals who are truly committed and willing to go through training and the challenges of the working environment.
"They must also be ready to face heavy workloads and long working hours.
"Suggestions to improve work cultures must not bring a negative impact to the quality of the medical officer and their services.
"This is because there are many more medical officers that had been trained in a conducive environment and could provide the best health services to the patient," she added.
The task force also hoped, she said, that the Health Ministry would ensure that continued efforts be made to improve the existing system and procedures, and create new rules that are suitable to the current wants and needs.
The nine-person task force was formed on May 13 following the death of the houseman, who was attached to the Penang Hospital, in April this year.
The houseman, who fell from his condominium, had allegedly complained of bullying during his stint.