It said the guidelines, launched by minister Dzulkefly Ahmad, were based on the core principle of having “zero tolerance for bullying”.

It serves to guide ministry staff and department heads on the methods of reporting and investigating complaints as well as how to identify bullying and handle cases transparently, fairly and effectively.

The guidelines will be distributed to all health ministry facilities nationwide, with the ministry to monitor its effectiveness.

It said complaints of bullying could be channelled through the ministry’s MyHELP system, which was set up in 2022, as well as its integrity unit.

Victims can only file reports through the public complaints management system, or Sispaa.

In launching the guidelines, Dzulkefly vowed that every bullying report would be thoroughly investigated, with action taken without compromise.

The ministry said its MyHELP system had received 430 complaints so far. It did not detail the outcome of these reports.

It also said it was working on implementing several other initiatives to improve the work culture at public health facilities and maintain the welfare of healthcare workers.

This includes a guideline to support the mental health of medical graduates, a flexible work system to reduce the fatigue of healthcare workers, and a counselling team in all departments to provide emotional support.