Politically at odds – the bitter lessons from the nursing home scandal

After the life-threatening circumstances in the Lehen retirement home became known in April, a political agreement was quickly reached on one point. The Tenor: Starving patients and rotting wounds should no longer exist in Salzburg’s healthcare facilities. There are different answers as to what consequences should follow from this confession.

Urgent motion by the Greens in the state parliament
While the SPÖ and FPÖ are not stingy with criticism of the social deputy Schellhorn (Greens) – who has been responsible for the care of Salzburg for nine years – the Greens are demanding constructive “deeds and money” for the care.

Club president Kimbie Humer-Vogl announced an urgent request to change the health care law. “Now it’s about putting long-term care on a solid foundation and improving quality standards,” she says. In spite of years of green responsibility in social services, why is an urgent application necessary? Until now it was not considered necessary to adjust the health care law and other measures have been taken. It has long been known that action must be taken.

A central issue for the opposition is the comprehensive clarification of the alleged political failure. KPÖ councilor Kay-Michael Dankl would like a commission of inquiry and better financial support for home care. Like SPÖ leader David Egger, he demands that care is no longer delegated to private operators.

FPÖ party leader Marlene Svazek pinpoints the problems mainly with Heinrich Schellhorn and the home operator Senecura. She repeatedly called for Schellhorn’s resignation.

For AK boss Peter Eder, the current situation is shocking, but not surprising. “We constantly have complaints about working conditions. People can’t do it anymore,” says Eder. For him too, care belongs in the public domain and damage limitation is the order of the day.