Guidelines for a safe and bully-free workplace for healthcare workers will be issued, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
These guidelines, issued through the National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health (NCEMH), will clarify workplace bullying reporting procedures and outline prevention and intervention measures for individuals and organisations.
He added that the guidelines aim to protect the physical and mental well-being of staff members and create a safe and harmonious work environment free from bullying or intimidation, in a written reply to Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (PH-Bandar Kuching) yesterday.
In August, a pathology specialist at Hospital Lahad Datu was found dead in her rental unit in the wake of allegations of workplace bullying.
Her brother, Tay Yong Shen, 31, said his sister showed no signs of depression or any intention to end her life, adding that the family had discovered evidence in her WhatsApp conversations of her workload and how she was treated.
An independent Special Task Force by the Health Ministry, which took effect on Oct 10, was set up to investigate her death.
Dzulkefly said the ministry will not compromise on bullying.
“The Health Ministry takes a firm and transparent stance, and will report investigation results once the investigation is completed,” he added in his written response.
He said that instances of bullying can be reported through the ministry’s MyHELP system to enable officers to file complaints directly to the ministry’s Integrity Unit.
For graduate medical officers, the House Officer Encouragement and Reassurance Through Sharing and Support programme will be introduced to provide support and help them build resilience.Moreover, emotional support and early intervention for healthcare workers’ mental wellness can be accessed through the Mental Health Crisis Line, known as Talian HEAL, by dialling 15555.
The support will be provided by Health Ministry psychologists.
Counselling services will also be expanded with trained psychologists and public service peer support.
A support programme called “Kintsukuroi” is also offered for medical officers and other healthcare workers at certain hospitals.
