Until the second half of 2022, the Municipality of Pelotas had a deficit of 26 doctors in the Primary Care Network. With actions to value professionals, such as readjustment in hours worked, the number dropped to 15 in January of this year, and is now at 10, which represents a 60% reduction in the deficit of professionals.
“This is the result of a very big effort that the government has been making to qualify primary health care. The presence of doctors in the UBSs is a crucial factor, although our effort also encompasses other aspects, such as infrastructure and reception, which ended with the attendance records”, highlights the mayor Paula Mascarenhas.
The Secretary of Health, Roberta Paganini, explains that the measures for valuing the category were fundamental for increasing the number of professionals, which results in quality of care. “Certainly, the readjustment in the value of the hour worked had an impact that enabled us to achieve this reduction in the deficit. The result of this we identify at the end, through the improvement in the service of our Basic Health Units”, she highlighted.
With the readjustment, the medical hourly rate went from the old R$ 80.00 to an amount of up to R$ 110.00. The levels are different for each area, prioritizing family medicine, mental health and assistance in rural areas. According to the Municipality’s Primary Care Board, the expectation is to further expand the number of professionals with hiring processes that are already underway.
Understand the hourly rate adjustment
Doctors designated to work in Basic Health Units (UBSs), within the urban perimeter, now receive the amount of R$ 100.00 for the hourly rate. The same is paid to those in the Psychosocial Care Network. Professionals who perform activities in UBSs in rural areas have an hourly rate of R$ 110.00.
Specialists in family and community medicine who carry out their activities with the UBSs, as well as those with specialization in a specific area assigned to the Psychosocial Care Network, also received readjustments. In these cases, the amount transferred was R$ 110.00. The changes also established the payment of BRL 80.00 for physicians in the Telemedicine area, and for those with specialization, the amount increased to BRL 90.00.
