“Time is never late. Since March 2023, we have embarked on this journey together, with ups and downs, advances and setbacks, but with the shared goal of improving working conditions for doctors in the Regional Health Service and, indirectly, enhancing the services provided to our patients,” stated Mónica Seidi, the regional secretary of Health and Social Security, during the contract signing ceremony held in Angra do Heroísmo.
The Health Secretary highlighted that beyond the collective work agreements signed today, negotiations with unions have enabled the region to adopt an “improved full dedication scheme” compared to the mainland and elevate career progression with the allocation of 1.5 points per year, which “in total, account for a higher number of points” than granted elsewhere in the country.
“We must create something in the region that is distinctive, capable of attracting and retaining doctors,” she emphasized.
The changes anticipated include setting a maximum of 12 hours per week for emergency service and accounting for medical working time during schedule transitions.
Doctors in the Azores Regional Health Service are entitled to an additional day of leave for every 10 years of service and an extra five days of holiday per year if taken between January and June.
In the Azores, mentors are allocated a period of four to six hours per week to guide their trainees, whereas nationally, the maximum is three hours weekly.
Doctors in the region are entitled to four more days per year for training, with training activities gaining increased weight in performance evaluation.
The agreements incorporate the right to compensatory rest for work performed on weekends and public holidays, and allow pregnant doctors to reduce their regular daily working hours by one to two hours during continuous shifts.
Doctors with individual work contracts enjoy positions and salary levels comparable to those with public function contracts and are entitled to the allocation of 1.5 points per year, as already determined for public function doctors in a decree published in October.
The performance evaluation for doctors will also be revised, and exemption from set working hours will have a specific remuneration.
Union leaders acknowledged that there is still work to be done to improve the medical career in the region but expressed satisfaction with the agreement reached.
“We understand that it is an added value, not only for doctors but also for the population of the Azores. It brings new attractions that can retain doctors to the region and we all know they are greatly needed,” stated André Frazão, from the Independent Union of Doctors (SIM).
The union representative noted that the agreement results “from very difficult, yet very fair negotiations that fortunately reached a good conclusion.”
Hugo Esteves, from the Southern Medical Union, also considered that the agreement would impact citizens’ lives and health.
“The agreement we signed today is another step towards improving the professional practice conditions for doctors and, consequently, enhancing the health care provided to Azoreans,” he remarked.
The union leader maintained that progress in health care is achieved “through social dialogue and not through ongoing sterile conflict, organizational isolation, or at times, some governments’ unilateral ‘I want, I can and I command’ approaches.”
