Effects Of The Single Spine Salary Structure On Migration Intentions Of Health Professionals In The Accra Metropolis

ABSTRACT Emigration of health professionals in Ghana has been a serious challenge to all successive governments and stakeholders in the health sector. In attempt to battle this emigration canker, governments have introduced policies and measures including the following; Additional Duty Hours Allowance (ADHA), Health Sector Salary Scheme (HSSS), Deprived Area Incentives as well as Vehicle Ownership Scheme. In the year 2010, the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) was introduced to cushion all public sector workers especially health professionals. However all these measures and policies appear not to solve the problem for which it was introduced. The aim of this study therefore is to examine how the introduction of the current wage dispensation (SSSS) is impacting on the migration intentions of health professionals in Accra metropolis. Data was gathered through the administration of 90 questionnaires, involving 74 nurses and 16 doctors and in-depthinterviews conducted with 4 nurses, 3 doctors and 3 hospital administrators. Analysis of the sex composition of the health professionals shows that a little over 74 % of the health professionals were females. The ages of the health professionals ranged from 28 years to 65 years. In respect of migration intentions, this study shows that 70 % had intended to migrate within the next ten years. The result further shows that the United Kingdom, United States and Canada are the preferred destinations of the health professionals. More than half (52.1 %) of the health professionals intend to emigrate within the next five years. Reasons cited for migrating from the country included financial considerations and the desire for higher learning or skills and to experience life abroadFinally, it was realized that despite the fact that some health professionals are better off under the SSSS, most of them however declared their intentions to migrate irrespective of the impact of the single spine pay policy on their salaries. This therefore implies that, the SSSS is insignificant to a large extent on the migration intentions of health professionals in the Accra metropolis. It is therefore recommend that more health training institutions should be built to absolve more doctors and nurses. Again a further increase in salaries and allowances as well as better conditions of service should be ensured to motivate them to stay and work in the country.