Expectations of mothers-to-be for doctors’ statements: Limiting births in Slovakia? THIS is at risk in large hospitals!
More than 2,100 doctors resigned on September 30, as a sign of a strike against the current system in the healthcare sector. At the moment, half of their 2-month notice period will slowly expire, and as for the Medical Trade Union, which has started a request for mass dismissals and the Ministry of Health has not yet arrived, there will probably be a collapse of the health care system in Slovakia from December 1. According to the latest information, anesthesiologists filed the most resignations. The dismissals will affect 31 hospitals across Slovakia. According to the head of the LOZ, Petr Visolajský, doctors from other key departments, such as traumatology, internal medicine, cardiology, intensive care medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, and the neonatal department, submitted their resignations.
Archive VIDEO Visolajský on the current state of healthcare: The situation is so serious that the government should deal with it
Currently, therefore, many mothers-to-be are suffering and waiting to see what will happen. While some of them found themselves abroad in the worst case scenario, others decided to take the situation into their own hands and negotiate rather about giving birth, usually in Austria or abroad. But what is going to happen to those mothers who plan to give birth in Slovakia and there is a threat that the doctors will really leave after December 1?
A third of the doctors from UNB are on notice
Bratislava University Hospital, which unites 5 hospitals within the capital city, already announced its plans to introduce a stabilization allowance that would motivate health workers to stay at the hospital for the next 5 years. The Ministry of Health also agrees with the proposal, but these are only considerations that must also be confirmed by the state. According to UNB spokeswoman Eva Kliská, a third of the doctors in the hospitals have resigned. “We recorded the most resignations from the departments of anesthesiology and intensive care medicine, where 66 out of 135 doctors resigned. Among the other workplaces where the most resignations were given are our internal trauma clinics and also the neonatal clinic in Petržalka,” she pointed out some time ago. However, as she explained, births are classified as acute health care. In the event that he confirmed the catastrophic scenario, and all the doctors who gave statements, they would also like to request the necessary medical care, and therefore also the birth, if necessary.
The Trenčín hospital, which is often chosen for its good reviews of births, also spoke about the problem with resignations. “To date, we have registered 104 resignations from doctors of almost all our specialties. We do not provide a stabilization allowance, but we do provide various benefits beyond the scope of the Labor Code – such as increased wage compensation for working at night, on holidays, on the weekend, or for the emergency services of doctors. and an attendance bonus. At the same time, we provide a recruitment allowance of up to €5,000,” said hospital spokesperson Martina Holecová. However, he also believes that the departure of doctors will not happen in the end and that the medical professionals will change their opinion and stay with the patients. However, they did not define the exact steps they will take in the event of childbirth.
There is no threat of a crisis situation in central Slovakia
The acute situation would also be in the Banská Bystrica hospital, where 131 doctors from 14 departments and a clinic resigned. The hospital admitted that if the doctors were to leave their positions, it would affect the provision of health care. However, this condition should not affect births. “As for births, there should not have been a problem with their provision, since the doctors from the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic did not testify. We are of the opinion that all parties have an eminent interest in solving the situation. At this moment, we only see room for a constructive debate.” said hospital spokeswoman Ružena Maťašeje.
The situation could be much better after December 1 in the Žilina hospital. As the spokeswoman Lenka Záteková informed, there are currently about 12 percent, or 43 doctors, within the two-month notice period, most of them from neurosurgery departments. “There is only one uncertified doctor from the department of gynecology and obstetrics during the two-month notice period, and no doctor from the department of neonatology. The situation in Žilina will not affect births and the care of newborns in any way. Health care for patients continues to be provided. I believe that the trade unionists with the Ministry of Health will agree, we have prepared a crisis plan for the time being, if after the departure of the mentioned doctors 1.12.2022 really happened. The spokeswoman of the hospital informed.
And what about the east?
At the L. Pasteur University Hospital in Košice, 220 out of almost 900 doctors resigned, which is 24%. However, according to spokeswoman Monika Krišková, nothing has changed in the provision of health care. “Our clinics and departments work without changes and restrictions. For all medical workplaces, the hospital has created crisis scenarios for different numbers of dismissals so that UNLP knows how to ensure acute health care and smooth operations. According to the management of UNLP, a constructive discussion is needed between the Department of Health and LOZ and there is still a long space of time for me to accept the solutions that sent us their talk,” she pointed out at the end.
Challenge of the Association of Hospitals
A memorandum with clear parameters is needed to reach an agreement between the Medical Trade Union (LOZ) and the Slovak government. According to its president, Marián Peťek, the Association of Hospitals of Slovakia (ANS) appeals to LOZ, the government and the Ministry of Health (MOH) to reach an agreement. He said this at a press conference on Wednesday.
He emphasized that the agreement must be a compromise in order to ensure the provision of health care even in December 2022. “There is only a month left before I start testifying. It was also clearly heard at the health committee, where a solution was sought to fulfill the LOZ points. On behalf of the association, I must say that we agree on most of the points. They have a head and a tail. I saw an effort by the LOZ to agreement and solution to the problem so that dismissals do not occur,” stated Peťko.
According to him, the problem must be solved at the level of the Slovak government, because it has several dimensions. “Economic, financial and personnel. The ministry itself, even if I don’t know how he wanted it, it’s not possible. If we want an agreement to be reached, a memorandum between the government of the SR and LOZ is needed. So that both parties are satisfied.” he pointed out.
He pointed out that it is not possible to replace 2100 doctors from the key department in case of disagreement and their departure. “In any case, I am afraid that some doctors have already made up their minds and will leave. I believe that there will be as few of them as possible. Because with a defined shortage of about 2,500 doctors, each further departure would mean more and more problems with securing emergency services after 4 p.m. and on weekends “,” added the president of ANS.