The Federation of Doctors at State, General and Provincial Hospitals and its allies yesterday set up a network to protect medical workers.
The move took place immediately after it had withdrawn from the Public Health Ministry-spearheaded efforts to quickly fix the Medical Malpractice Victim Protection Bill. The federation prefers a national-level committee be established to work on the issue.
Although the federation's Network for the Protection of Medical Services (NPMS) vowed to protect medical-service users, it was expected to counter mainly the Network of Medical Malpractice Victims, which has now joined hands with various organisations in pushing ahead with the bill.
Dr Cherdchoo Ariyasriwattana, an adviser to the federation, heads the new NPMS which is supported by many doctors, pharmacists and medical technologists. Rajavithi Hospital director Dr Oraphan Methadilokkul has been appointed its vice-president.
The Federation of Doctors at State, General and Provincial Hospitals established the NPMS, and has also issued a statement questioning the Public Health Ministry's attempt to fix the Medical Malpractice Victim Projection Bill within two weeks.
"We doubt the efforts to rush the bill through," the federation said its in its statement.
According to the statement, the federation preferred to take its time in examining the bill in detail.
The Public Health Ministry, meanwhile, went ahead with efforts to reconcile differences in the bill. Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit has set up a 26-member reconciliation panel to solve controversy surrounding the bill.
While patients and consumer groups have hailed the bill as a milestone in patient protection, many medical professionals feel it might leave them at a disadvantage.
Several hospitals, such as Chulalongkorn Hospital, are concerned about financial contributions it must submit to the no-fault compensation fund prescribed by the bill.
Cherdchoo said the Public Health Ministry had no authority to set up a panel to decide on the bill.
"There are 39,000 doctors across the country. Of them, just 12,000 have worked for the ministry," she said, "What's about the rest? Will their voices be heard?"
However, sitting on the Public Health Ministry-appointed panel are also representatives from the Medical Council, Thailand Nursing Council, and the Medical Technology Council.
Foundation for Consumers secretary-general Saree Ongsomwang said she was deeply disappointed that Federation of Doctors at State, General and Provincial Hospitals had withdrawn from the panel.
"Thai society has suffered too much already from some people's unreasonable attempts to claim victory at all cost," she said.
She urged the federation to review its stance. Saree is a member of the Public Health Ministry-appointed panel.