Decision No. 14/2013/QĐ-TTg On the Implementation of the Term Rotation System for Practitioners at Medical Examination and Treatment Facilities

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the implementation of the term rotation system for medical practitioners at healthcare facilities

The Prime Minister issues this Decision on the implementation of the term rotation system for medical practitioners at healthcare facilities,

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment dated November 23, 2009;

Pursuant to the Civil Servant Law dated November 15, 2010;

At the proposal of the Minister of Health;

This Decision stipulates the implementation of the term rotation system for medical practitioners at healthcare facilities from central to provincial level, from provincial to district level, and from district to commune level, from areas with less difficult socio-economic conditions to areas with more difficult socio-economic conditions and extremely difficult socio-economic conditions.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

1. This Decision applies to doctors, nurses, midwives, and technical staff (hereinafter referred to collectively as medical practitioners) working in public healthcare facilities.

Article 2. Applicability

2. This Decision does not apply to medical practitioners at healthcare facilities of the armed forces.

Article 3. Subjects exempted from implementing the term rotation system

1. Female medical practitioners who are pregnant or nursing a child under 36 months old, and male medical practitioners who are solely responsible for nursing a child under 36 months old.

2. Medical practitioners who have worked in remote, mountainous, and extremely difficult socio-economic condition areas for 24 months or more.

3. Medical practitioners with special difficulties: being the only child in a family where both parents are elderly; directly caring for elderly or disabled parents who are frequently ill; having a spouse who is disabled and unable to care for children; themselves unable to ensure their health to work away from home.

4. Male medical practitioners over 55 years old, female medical practitioners over 50 years old (except in voluntary cases).

5. Other special cases shall be considered and decided by the head of the agency or unit regarding medical practitioners under their management.

1. In accordance with the needs for quantity and quality of specialized personnel required by lower-level facilities and the capacity of upper-level facilities to meet such needs.

Article 4. Principles of Implementation

2. Prioritize the implementation of the term rotation system for medical practitioners to strengthen lower-level healthcare facilities, especially those in areas with difficult and extremely difficult socio-economic conditions.

3. Ensure fairness, effectiveness, and avoid wastage of human resources.

4. The term rotation system must be implemented according to approved plans, within authorized limits, and in accordance with prescribed procedures.

Article 5. Forms and duration of the term rotation system

1. The dispatch of medical practitioners for term rotation can be done individually or by specialty groups.

2. Medical practitioners implementing the term rotation system must serve a minimum of six months and a maximum of twelve months (except in voluntary cases where longer periods may be served).

3. Medical practitioners may be dispatched for term rotation in multiple sessions and at different locations based on the requirements of lower-level facilities. Each session should arrange for the dispatched personnel to work two days per week or one week per month, and the time spent in each session will be accumulated to calculate the total time completing the term rotation requirement. The maximum duration of each session shall not exceed sixty days.

4. Medical practitioners who have already completed term rotation according to the decision of the competent authority before this Decision takes effect shall have their time counted towards the term rotation period specified in this Decision.

4. A practitioner who has served a term of rotation as decided by the competent authority before this Decision takes effect shall be credited against the period of rotation as provided for in this Decision.

Article 6. Responsibilities of practitioners on rotational duty

1. Adhere to internal regulations, rules, and directives from the head of the agency or unit where they are assigned for rotational duty.

2. Comply with the dispatch decisions of the head of the agency or unit that sends them on rotational duty for a fixed term; perform within the scope of their specialty, time, and location of work assigned.

3. Adhere to professional rules and occupational ethics as stipulated by the Ministry of Health.

4. Report the results of tasks performed during the period of rotational duty to the unit that dispatched them.

Article 7. Benefits applicable to practitioners during rotational duty

1. Salary and allowances:

a) 100% of salary and allowances based on salary (excluding job premium allowance);

b) Job premium allowance, hazardous work allowance, special allowance, and regional allowance (if applicable) as for practitioners at the receiving workplace. In cases where these allowances at the receiving workplace are lower than those at the sending unit, the practitioner retains the original level of allowance;

c) Special allowances for health sector officials such as: standby allowance, surgical allowance, procedural allowance, epidemic control allowance, and night shift and overtime allowances (if applicable) according to established regulations;

d) Other benefits such as: additional income, bonuses (if applicable).

2. Special benefits for practitioners on rotational duty:

a) Monthly subsistence allowance equal to 50% of current salary plus leadership position allowance and seniority allowance exceeding the standard range (if applicable);

b) Remuneration for compiling textbooks, teaching materials, training materials; speaker fees under the current state civil servant and public official training and development regulations when participating in training courses during rotational duty.

3. Preferential treatment

Practitioners who excel in completing tasks during rotational duty (as recognized by a commendation decision from the unit or the receiving workplace) shall be eligible for early salary increment consideration, change of occupational title if conditions permit, and other rewards as stipulated by the unit.

Article 8. Funding Sources and Responsibility for Payment of Benefits

The funding for implementing benefits for practitioners in public healthcare facilities is allocated annually in the state budget plan distributed to central ministries, agencies, and localities according to the current state budget hierarchy; specifically:

1. Healthcare facilities dispatching practitioners on rotational duty to lower-level facilities are responsible for paying the benefits specified in Points a and b Clause 1 and Clause 2 Article 7 of this Decision to practitioners from their own units on rotational duty. If the receiving facility has provided accommodation, then there is no need to pay for lodging expenses.

2. Healthcare facilities accepting practitioners from higher-level facilities on rotational duty are responsible for paying the benefits specified in Point c Clause 1 Article 7 and other benefits such as: additional income, bonuses (if applicable), and collective welfare of their own unit to practitioners sent for rotational duty.

3. Travel expenses:

Travel expenses for practitioners on rotational duty are paid by the dispatching unit according to established regulations.

Article 9. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Health

1. Organize the implementation and guide the execution of the term-based rotation system for practitioners; monitor and compile the situation of implementing this Decision nationwide and report periodically to the Prime Minister annually.

2. Direct the implementation of the term-based rotation system for practitioners at medical examination and treatment facilities under the Ministry of Health.

3. Approve the rotation plans of units under the Ministry before June 30 each year.

Article 10. Responsibilities of Provincial People's Committees and Municipal People's Committees under the Central Government

1. Organize the implementation and guide the execution of the term-based rotation system for practitioners at medical examination and treatment facilities under local management.

2. Approve programs, plans, and policies on term-based rotation for practitioners in the province before June 30 each year.

3. Allocate budget funds to implement the term-based rotation system for practitioners according to the provisions of this Decision.

Article 11. Responsibilities of the Department of Health

1. Draft and submit to the People's Committee of the province for approval programs, plans, and policies on term-based rotation for practitioners in the province.

2. Direct, guide, inspect, and organize the implementation of programs, plans, and policies on term-based rotation of the locality after being approved by the People's Committee of the province for medical examination and treatment facilities under its management.

3. Manage and utilize state budget funds for the implementation of term-based rotation tasks for practitioners; mobilize social resources for term-based rotation activities.

4. Decide on rewards or propose competent authorities to reward organizations and individuals with outstanding achievements in implementing the term-based rotation system.

5. Direct, guide, and organize statistical work and report to the Ministry of Health on the implementation of the term-based rotation system.

Article 12. Responsibilities of Units Dispatching Practitioners for Rotation

1. Conduct surveys to determine the needs of the receiving unit or locality for practitioners coming for term-based rotation; enter into responsibility contracts with the locality or unit regarding the number, professional qualifications, and working period of the dispatched practitioners.

2. Develop annual plans, through political and socio-political organizations of the unit, publicly announce the plan throughout the unit, and dispatch or request competent authorities to dispatch practitioners for term-based rotation according to the plan.

3. Allocate budget funds to implement the term-based rotation system for practitioners of the unit according to Article 8 of this Decision.

Article 13. Responsibilities of Units Receiving Practitioners for Term-Based Rotation

1. Determine the need for additional human resources suitable to actual requirements, develop plans to receive practitioners for term-based rotation and technical support needed.

2. Arrange accommodation and working equipment, introduce local customs and traditions to practitioners coming for term-based rotation.

3. Allocate budget funds to provide benefits for practitioners undergoing term-based rotation at the unit according to Article 8 of this Decision and to ensure material conditions for professional work for practitioners coming to work.

4. Develop and promulgate regulations on cooperation between practitioners going for term-based rotation and practitioners of the unit.

5. Confirm the work results of practitioners coming for term-based rotation.

Article 14. Effective Date of Implementation

This Decision shall take effect from April 15, 2013.

Article 15. Responsibility for Implementation

Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government-affiliated agencies, Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees under the central city authorities shall be responsible for implementing this Decision./.