Application from TTB to the Ministry of Health for personnel limitations in clinics

Turkish Medical Association (TTB) applied to the Ministry of Health regarding provincial health directorates limiting the employment of non-physician personnel to one person, regardless of whether they work full or part time in clinics.

In its letter dated September 24, 2026, TTB stated that there is no limit in the legislation on the number of people who can be employed in clinics and asked for the practice to be abolished.

In the letter sent by TTB to the Ministry of Health, it was stated that the "Regulation on Job and Job Descriptions of Health Care Professionals and Other Professionals Working in Health Services", which is the basis for the practice, only regulates the job and job descriptions of the titles and does not contain any provisions regarding the number of people who can be employed in clinics.

"IT IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF LEGALITY"

The article pointed out that there is no limit on the number of people in the "Regulation on Private Health Institutions Where Outpatient Diagnosis and Treatment is Provided", which regulates the employment of medical personnel and secretaries with the title determined by the Ministry in clinics, and the following statements were made:

"This evaluation made by the provincial health directorates results in the interpretation of a limitation that is not included in the wording of the regulation. Imposing a number limit that is not included in the regulation through interpretation is incompatible with the principle of legality in regulatory procedures."

TTB stated that the physicians' field of expertise, patient density, quality of the healthcare service provided and working order differentiate the number of healthcare personnel needed. It was stated that imposing a limit of only one person, regardless of full or part-time employment, would not meet the service need, without taking these differences into consideration.