What the city council is planning now – hospital woes in Vienna: “The situation is unbearable”

Ambulances at the limit, bed closures, no staff in the clinics, a health system in turmoil – we reported. It is a complex mix that a federal municipality cannot solve on its own. Hacker aims to achieve noticeable improvements for Viennese patients and hospital staff by 2023. As? The politician explains this in the “Krone” interview.

• More money for clinics: Of an extra billion, Vienna wants 250 million euros. The state representatives will negotiate about this in the autumn with the Ministers of Finance and Health.

• Personalnot: “We are competing with other German-speaking areas and driving people away from each other.” All in all, there are too few young people. This is partly due to the training. “We think the issue of numerus clausus in medical universities is a mistake. And we are in talks with the Minister of Health that we need an amendment to the law on the powers of nursing staff. We have been waiting for a decision for months.”

• Working hours: “We need to be more flexible. The staff representatives will have to move.” In concrete terms, department heads and middle management must (be able to) act more freely in the future: “They divide the services, not the administration.” The 4-day week is already here for nurses, but not everyone wants to push 12-hour shifts.

• Pay: “We are no longer sufficient in terms of salary when there are shortages of subjects.” Vienna has limited itself because collective payments are not allowed. This can be changed by decision of the city council.

• Medical practices: “People can’t find a doctor and go to the outpatient clinic. We can’t fill that gap in the hospital.” Hacker’s solution: a joint concept with financing from one source: “That’s what I’m fighting for.”

• Corona Herbs/Winter: The city council expects a new wave of Covid by the end of the year. “I am speechless at the lack of preparation at the federal level.”