THE 360-Degree Assessment System, which previously only applied to top hospital management, will be extended to include hospital directors from this year, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. 

Hospital directors are currently only assessed by their superiors. 

“After this, they (hospital directors) will be evaluated not only by their superiors, but also their peers and officers under their management, and the ministry will add this 360-Degree Assessment System periodically to other levels. 

“This year, the ministry will start with hospital directors, next year we may include department heads and also specialists and we will do this until all levels in the Health Ministry (MOH) have this assessment system,” he said during his One-Year Achievement as Health Minister interview in Putrajaya. 

Khairy said expanding the evaluation system, which allows MOH personnel to assess their superiors, would help detect bullying cases in the ministry. 

“If a higher-ranked officer does not have good relations with his or her subordinates, we will know because we have implemented the 360-degree evaluation,” he said, adding that this would be subject to the approval of the Public Service Department (PSD).

To deal with bullying within the MOH, Khairy said the Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force report recommended the use of the ministry’s complaint system, which can be accessed from October 1. 

He said the complaint system would make it easier for officers to directly lodge reports of bullying incidents, and follow-up actions can be taken immediately via a transparent procedure while maintaining the confidentiality of the complainant. 

The task force, which was set up in May, aims to improve work culture and management of health services, and investigate complaints of bullying in the ministry.

On the achievements of the MOH, he said several contract appointment issues involving medical, dental and pharmacy officers have been strategically solved in the past year. 

“At least 8,686 additional permanent posts involving medical officers, dental officers and pharmacy officers will be created from 2022 to 2025, involving financial implications worth RM2.26 billion,” said Khairy, who is also Rembau MP.

Khairy announced that for permanent appointments in the ministry, a total of 11,462 appointments have been made since September last year, which include 4,333 medical officers, 1,457 dental officers, 1,688 pharmacy officers, and 3,087 nurses.

Touching on the promotion of ministry officers, Khairy said as of August 31, 7,143 medical, dental and pharmacy officers were promoted on a time-based method. 

“The ministry also certified to the PSD the promotion of 525 Grade UD56 physicians and Grade UG56 to Special Grade C dentists, specifically on a personal-to-holder basis, on July 31. 

“This matter is currently under consideration by PSD for certification to the Public Service Promotion Board,” he said. – Bernama, September 22, 2022.