Eng. Al-Rushdan: Institutional Transformation Delivers More Efficient Health Services

Eng. Hatem Al-Rushdan speaking to Al Riyadh

The Kingdom is witnessing comprehensive developmental movement affecting all sectors, foremost among them the health sector, which is undergoing a historic institutional transformation to achieve the goals of Vision 2030. Within this framework, the Ministry of Health recently announced that targeted health clusters have begun sending transfer requests for the second batch of employees in seven main regions including Al-Ahsa, Taif, Najran, Hail, Tabuk, Northern Borders, and Hafr Al-Batin.

Eng. Hatem Al-Rushdan, CEO of Hail Health Cluster, stressed that the transfer of employees within the institutional transformation of the health sector is a fundamental pillar for achieving the goals of the Health Sector Transformation Program emanating from Vision 2030. He stated that the ultimate goal is to build an integrated, high-quality health system that better serves citizens and residents. This transformation directly contributes to enabling health clusters to provide more quality and efficient health services to beneficiaries by focusing the Ministry of Health's role on regulation and oversight, leaving the operational side to clusters to ensure greater flexibility. He pointed out that this transfer is a very important step towards enhancing integration among all components of the health system, improving the beneficiary experience, and elevating the quality of care provided, with a focus on prevention before treatment and facilitating access to services.

Regarding the timeframe available for employees to make their decision and the mechanism, Eng. Al-Rushdan said: 'The cluster has already started sending targeted transfer requests for the second batch. We would like to reassure and inform our colleagues that targeted employees will be able to accept or reject transfer requests within ten days. The entire process is carried out through officially approved electronic channels and systems to ensure an organized and smooth transition that adheres to the highest standards of transparency and accuracy, fully preserving employees' rights and enhancing their stability.'

Regarding rights, benefits, and guarantees of professional stability, Eng. Al-Rushdan explained that employees' rights and benefits are maintained according to Decision 616, ensuring their full job and professional stability during the transition and beyond. He noted that Decision 616 was specifically designed to preserve the continuity of employees' rights and benefits without any infringement, with the aim of enhancing the efficiency of health service delivery. On the contrary, the transfer of staff to health clusters represents a pivotal step to develop the work environment, expand future professional development opportunities, and promote a culture of performance and excellence in an attractive and motivating environment.

Regarding interactive activities to prepare employees, Eng. Al-Rushdan affirmed that the Hail Health Cluster has conducted a series of communication activities to prepare colleagues included in the transfer. These included workshops and continuous interactive meetings held in person and remotely, focusing on explaining the procedures related to transfer, detailing rights and benefits, highlighting professional development opportunities, and listening to all inquiries. The most frequent questions were compiled and included in a comprehensive FAQ guide to ensure easy access to accurate and responsible information directly from official sources. Additionally, 17 employee care centers were set up to answer their questions and provide full support. A unified number was also provided for direct answers, along with a WhatsApp channel and a platform for booking appointments for those wishing to communicate at specific times.

Eng. Al-Rushdan concluded: 'My message to all my colleagues, health and administrative staff: You are the main pillar for the success of this institutional transformation. With your efforts and continuous giving, the journey of developing health services and achieving a positive and tangible impact for our beneficiaries will continue. The success of this transfer begins and ends with these distinguished national competencies, which we fully trust will continue to perform their noble mission with professionalism, competence, and excellence to serve the nation and beneficiaries.'