The Czech Ministry of Health has distributed a draft bill to increase the salaries of healthcare workers and doctors to address long-standing pay problems, Euractiv reports.
The proposed bill, which is set to come into effect in January 2025, promises to significantly overhaul the current pay structure. Czech ministry officials said the new law will guarantee that doctors’ salaries in hospitals will be 1.5 to 3 times the national average salary.
The initiative follows commitments made in December 2023 in response to protests by Czech doctors to unify and increase the salaries of healthcare workers. Czech Health Minister Vlastimil Válek (TOP 09, EPP) announced on X:
(…) we sent a draft of the law on remuneration of health care workers to representatives of the medical chamber, health unions, hospitals, and other entities involved in the negotiations.
Válek also said the bill is part of a broader effort to improve pay for medical professionals, whether they receive a salary or wage.
The measure will provide a stronger financial backbone for physicians who have expressed their need for fair pay and reasonable working conditions.
The remuneration reform also provides for annual increases in minimum salaries and wages, as well as a 1% bonus for each year of professional experience, ensuring that health professionals grow financially in line with their length of service and rewarding dedication and expertise.
Worry remains
However, despite the positive developments, the road to this reform has not been without controversy.
The Czech Medical Chamber (ČLK) and health unions have criticised the ministry for slow progress in meeting all the terms of last year’s agreement. While the wage increase is a step forward, other promised reforms, especially those related to medical education and working conditions, have lagged significantly.
Excessive overtime has remained a critical issue for years, with many doctors working well beyond recommended limits. Currently, some doctors report working up to 1,500 hours of overtime a year.
Last year’s protests organised by the Young Doctors Section of the Czech Chamber of Medicine drew attention to these overtime problems. These protests successfully prevented a proposed doubling of voluntary overtime by keeping the limit at 416 hours per year.
