PUTRAJAYA: The healthcare work culture improvement task force’s to-do list includes proposing improvements to the work culture and human resources management for public health services.

       Unveiled by the Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin here yesterday, the task force, led by former Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir, will also analyse information and the results of investigation into the recent death of a houseman attached to the Penang Hospital.

       The task force has two months to complete the job given and present it to the Health Minister.

       Khairy said aside from the incident involving the death of the houseman, there were also complaints on incidents of bullying and mental pressure faced not just by housemen, but also healthcare service staff during their course of work.

       “Taking into consideration the interest of healthcare services provided by the ministry to the nation, the scope and terms of reference of the task force will encompass work culture and human resource management of staff.

       “This is to ensure the delivery of services by the public healthcare system is professional and of quality,” he said in a statement.

       On April 17, a 25-year-old houseman with Penang Hospital died, following a fall from his rented apartment unit in Jalan Datuk Keramat, George Town.

       The houseman had been posted to the hospital on April 4.

       Following the incident, Khairy said a task force would be set up to investigate the case.

       The task force has also been assigned to get information on work culture and human resource management in healthcare services, which will involve briefing and holding engagements with the ministry’s different divisions, staff, statutory bodies, non-governmental organisations and interested parties.

       It will also propose, if necessary, the appointment of consultants to support the role and function of the task force and to carry out relevant study and analysis.

       Other members of the task force are former chief people officer of CIMB Group, Datuk Hamidah Naziadin, paediatric specialist Prof Dr Zabidi A.M. Hussin, and lawyer Mohamed Ridza Mohamed Abdulla.

       Others are psychiatric consultant from Universiti Malaya Assoc Prof Dr Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin, IMU Healthcare chief executive officer Dr Chong Su-Lin, as well as activist and expert in communications and media, patient safety, brand development and crisis and reputation management, Manvir Victor.

       Also in the task force is Sivaramakrishnan Balasubramaniam, an expert in organisational development, as well as a representative from the Health Ministry.