TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) plans to increase pay in response to the mass departure of highly skilled nurses. While private hospitals have seen a perceptible rise in salaries for nurses, those working in hospitals subordinate to the MOHW have been waiting anxiously for good news.
MOHW Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan on Monday (Nov. 6) convened a meeting to discuss initiating a collective pay raise for the 12,000 nurses working under affiliated hospitals. Hsueh noted the detrimental effects of low-wage treatment and stated that measures must be taken to retain sufficient talent in hospitals and prevent services from being disrupted.
The minister added that higher wages would enable hospitals to attract a pool of highly skilled nurses, thereby expanding hospital bed capacity and increasing revenue due to the availability of more services.
Taiwan's nursing workforce is approximately 120,000, with one-tenth of them working in hospitals under the MOHW, with 26 hospitals total. Most of these hospitals are located in remote areas.
Kao Ching-chiu, former president of the Taiwan Union of Nurses Association (TUNA), criticized the unequal distribution of work between private hospitals and MOHW-affiliated hospitals, particularly in rural areas where healthcare provision is needed.
In most cases, MOHW-affiliated hospitals take on cases that private hospitals refuse to treat, exacerbating the problem during the pandemic. Kao condemned the MOHW Minister for neglecting his duties by prioritizing performances by private hospitals.