Doctors who had been suspended for bribery or extorting money from patients are back in the National Health System under the new law according to which all public sector employees who were suspended by the previous government, will be re-hired.
There are about 60 doctors in public hospitals who were suspended or fired after accusations of asking for money from patients in order to perform their duties. Some had actually extorted patients or their relatives and were arrested the moment they were receiving the money, known in Greece as “fakelaki” — the little envelope the bribe money is in.
The doctors return to the hospitals based on the new law that was signed by Minister of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction Giorgos Katrougalos. They will have to go through the disciplinary councils of respective hospitals to be fully eligible for re-hiring. However, in some hospitals the procedure is not followed and the doctors simply return to duty.
In other cases, there are ways to circumvent the disciplinary council by simply not appearing within the time period required. After that period expires, the doctor is repositioned automatically. Also, there are cases where the disciplinary councils exonerate the doctors.
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