BRATISLAVA, February 28, (WEBNOVINY) — An analysis of the current situation in the healthcare sector regarding the opening of labor markets in Germany and Austria and concerning the situation in the Czech Republic, which the tripartite had on the table on Monday, shows a pressing need for increase in wages of medical workers in Slovakia. “In view of liability for securing healthcare provision in Slovakia, we find it necessary to seriously deal with this issue and recommend seeking finances for increasing payments of health insurance companies for services of medical facilities,” stated the material drawn up by the Health Ministry.
Health Minister Ivan Uhliarik (KDH) stated after the meeting, that social partners discussed issues in general while his ministry has separate talks on concrete issues with the Finance Ministry. The minister did not want to elaborate on the outcomes of talks yet. He underscored that the tripartite only discussed the analysis with respect to the opening of labor markets in Austria and Germany and the situation in the Czech Republic on Monday and a complex material on the situation in the healthcare sector would be presented in May. Uhliarik repeated that he inherited the department with debt amounting to about EUR 200 million. He said he is seeking the ways to improve financial evaluation of medical workers as well as payments of health insurance companies to healthcare providers.
The Health Ministry stated in its analysis that its priorities are creation of a quality work environment and adequate wage evaluation of doctors and medical staff. On that account it plans transformation of hospitals, introduction of payments for diagnoses as well space for additional health insurance, which should contribute to finding sources for medical staff. Uhliarik and the Finance Minister Ivan Miklos confirmed that the healthcare sector cannot count on an increase in overall sources this year. Uhliarik pointed out that the previous government ballooned sources by 43 percent but the overall situation in the healthcare sector deteriorated anyway. Miklos recommends more effective use of existing sources.
Trade unionists left the Monday tripartite session with a promise to search for internal reserves in the healthcare sector. Vice President of the Trade Unions Confederation (KOZ) Vladimir Mojs specified for the SITA news agency that the government planned to inspect non-transparent actions and further problems in the sector. He confirmed that a complex material that would contain projected systemic changes should be submitted in May.
The Health Ministry also addressed the impact of the opening of labor markets in Austria and Germany on the Slovak healthcare in the submitted analysis. The ministry underscores that the valid interim restrictions of free movement do not apply to work of doctors and medical staff and thus the situation does not change for them as of May 1. The analysis also responds to the “thank you, we are leaving” protest of Czech doctors. Under the pressure, the Czech government passed pay rise for doctors in hospitals who should now receive CZK 5,000 to 8,000 more. Slovak trade unionists are concerned that higher pays in the neighboring country might initiate departure of Slovak doctors there.
SITA