The Federation of Luxembourg Hospitals (FHL) has regretted this situation for years and has reiterated its demand for adjustments.
Paul Junck, the FHL's president, stressed that the country needs a "good medical practice in hospitals". Since 2018, certain specialised medical professionals are required by law to be present in hospitals or alternatively be "on call".
While this is a good concept at its core, lawmakers have forgotten to think about how these people would be paid, Junck laments. Something must be done, the FHL president demands, pointing out that changes have already been implemented in certain areas.
Maternity hospitals, for instance, have a legal obligation to guarantee the presence of a gynaecologist, an anaesthetist, and a paediatrician at all times. Recently, an agreement was made to pay out €96/h for this compulsory presence.
Other services, including intensive care and neurovascular care, also require the presence of a doctor or a team at all times, currently without appropriate regulations in place.
Junck states that for the time being, everything works, mainly also because of the doctors' "good will" and their conviction to do it in the interest of the patient.
Nevertheless, Junck thinks that the Ministry has an "obligation to deliver". The FHL president is hopeful that the situation will change soon, stating that talks with the Ministry of Health are underway and a meeting is planned to take place in the near future.
Junck stresses that medical practice in hospitals must remain "appealing", no matter the cost.
Invité vun der Redaktioun: Jean-Marc Cloos, Chef vum Pôel médical Psychiatrie an den Hôpitaux Robert Schuman
Vu 7 bis 17 Auer: Parallellen Urgencendéngscht an de Stater Spideeler
