Agreement also aims to “strengthen the SNS and ensure doctors have better working conditions”
The Independent Doctors’ Union (SIM) and the government reached an agreement on Monday which provides for an average salary increase of 10% by 2027.
“We reached an agreement, an agreement that finally completes the 2023 interim agreement. It’s a phased agreement until 2027 that allows purchasing power to be restored and aims to strengthen the health service (SNS) and ensure that doctors have better working conditions,” said SIM’s general secretary after a meeting lasting several hours at the Ministry of Health.
According to Nuno Rodrigues, the agreement is not just about the doctors’ pay scale but is an agreement with “concrete improvements for all doctors” aimed at “better working conditions in the SNS” over the next three years.
The union leader said that the average salary increase is “similar to last year’s”, i.e. “around 10%” compared to the current amounts.
“In 2027, all these doctors will be earning around 10% more than they are now,” said Nuno Rodrigues.
Speaking to journalists, the health minister highlighted the “six months of work” with SIM on the pay scale for all categories of the medical career, as well as other matters such as the rules for organising and disciplining medical work.
“The organisation of medical work and prioritising scheduled work took us a long time, but it was a very important step that we took towards the future,” said Ana Paula Martins.
According to the minister, the whole agreement will be phased in over the next three years and also affect career progression.
“In the medical career, as in other health careers, you progress on merit and we’re going to open up 350 vacancies in 2025, and over the next three years, for senior graduate assistants,” the top of the career ladder, announced the minister.
According to Ana Paula Martins, this measure is “very important” given the imbalance between the bottom and the top of the career ladder and because “more senior doctors are fundamental if we are to ensure that training capacity in the SNS will be guaranteed in the coming decades.”
The agreement reached provides for an average salary increase of at least six positions on the single pay scale by 2027 for assistants and graduate assistants, similar to the 2023 interim agreement, and more levels for senior graduate assistants.
It is also planned that the new salary scale will be applied to all doctors in the medical career, including interns, as well as the possibility for doctors on individual employment contracts pre-2012 to request integration into the single salary scale, ensuring the increases now agreed and career progression depending on their salary level.
It was also agreed that holiday and absence schemes should be harmonised between doctors on individual employment contracts and those on public service contracts.
The government and SIM also agreed on a progressive reduction in emergency work, from the current 18 hours a week to 16 in 2026, 14 in 2027 and 12 hours in 2028.
According to the SIM, the agreement provides for improved working conditions, remuneration and length of service, which means effective integration into the medical career.
These doctors will now be paid as assistants after the final classification of the medical internship has been approved, and the time spent in the medical internship will be counted for holidays in the medical career.
There are also plans to increase the hourly rate for overtime work for fourth to sixth-year interns.
The two sides also reached an agreement on the working regime for pregnant women with a reduction of two hours a day and on the implementation of flexibility, measures to reduce working hours, as well as ensuring that compensatory rest for work done on Sundays and public holidays will be given to all doctors, regardless of their area of speciality.
Source: LUSA
