Government hospitals across Uttar Pradesh are set to keep their most experienced doctors on the job for five more years, with the state clearing the way for medical officers to work until age 70 through a fresh re-appointment scheme after retirement. Under the existing rules, government doctors retire from active service at 65. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has directed the health department to act on the change, and the Additional Chief Secretary of the department has already begun the process of issuing formal orders.
Relief for hospitals and patients
Government hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state see a heavy daily footfall of patients. Keeping seasoned doctors available for longer is expected to give patients easier access to specialist consultations and better treatment overall. Hospitals and health centres, many of which struggle with staff shortages, are also expected to get some breathing room once the new age limit kicks in. Patients will also get a better chance of staying with the same experienced doctor over time instead of being shuttled between facilities.
Senior doctors' experience will now reach more patients
According to Brajesh Pathak, the Provincial Medical and Health Service cadre is the health department's principal medical cadre, made up of medical officers and specialist doctors who carry the main responsibility for running health services at government hospitals, CHCs and PHCs across the state. He said that letting qualified, experienced doctors continue serving until 70 after retirement will pass their years of expertise directly on to patients. Younger doctors are also expected to benefit from continuing to work alongside senior colleagues for longer.
A bigger boost for departments short of specialists
Pathak said the extended service window will prove especially useful in medical departments that are already short of specialist doctors. He added that experienced doctors will also have an important role to play in strengthening healthcare in rural areas, where access to specialists is often harder to come by. Patients in such areas, who currently have to travel to bigger city hospitals for specialist care, could see that need reduced to some extent.
Making government healthcare more accessible and reliable
Pathak said the Additional Chief Secretary of the health department has been instructed to move ahead with issuing formal orders allowing re-appointment of retired doctors up to the age of 70. The government's stated aim is to make the fullest use of experienced doctors' expertise so that Uttar Pradesh's government health services become more capable, more accessible and of better quality. Formal orders are expected to follow in the coming days, after which eligible doctors will be able to apply for re-appointment.
