The shortage of school doctors is becoming more and more serious
politics
The shortage of school doctors in Salzburg has reached a new high. 69 schools across the country currently have no medical care. The bottleneck is so great that the ongoing examinations have to be canceled in many places, it is said.
The state government will once again improve the framework conditions in order to make the additional task more attractive for general practitioners and rural doctors. This year, for the first time, there is no school doctor for the 280 children and young people at the middle school in Salzburg-Nonntal. The location is not an isolated case.
No support for months
The deficiency has a major impact on many children and young people. At the middle school in Salzburg-Nonntal, the annual examination of the first graders is therefore also canceled, says director Thomas Schiendorfer: “We haven’t had a school doctor since July. That also applies to the elementary school in the neighborhood. We also need school doctors when children are in difficult situations, IF THEY have bruises or cut themselves, for example. “
Stöckl will make jobs more attractive
Doctors at compulsory schools are paid on the basis of work contracts. There are other regulations at federal schools. The doctors are employed here. In order to make jobs at compulsory schools more attractive, the state raised fees three years ago. It is said that that did not defuse the crisis.
Now health officer and LH deputy Christian Stöckl (ÖVP) to further improve the framework conditions: “We are in the middle of the talks. It’s about your own rooms and work contracts. It is probably also a cost issue, but not only. We just have to increase the attractiveness. “
As an interim solution, Stöckl will fill vacancies with hospital doctors and general practitioners, who will then divide up the services.