Doctors blast health bill

A draft bill allowing National Health System doctors to practice privately and even use public hospital facilities to treat their private patients has been criticized by both privately and publicly employed doctors.

Doctors in private practice claim the bill’s provisions constitute unfair competition and public service personnel say the bill undermines the operations of public hospitals.

Supporters of the bill claim it will allow especially poorly compensated young doctors in the national system to augment their income and attract more doctors to public hospitals. Already some doctors who left the National Health System for private practice have considered rejoining.