Health - Lauterbach: No understanding for doctors' strike
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has no sympathy at this time for the announcement by doctors in private practice that they will strike after Christmas in view of the heavy workload in many surgeries.
"The demands of the medical profession are well known, they don't need to be repeated, so there is no need to strike now, especially when so many people are ill," the SPD politician told broadcaster RBB. Now, when every tenth person is ill and people need care, the already full surgeries should not close.
In protest against the health policy, the Virchow Association of General Practitioners plans to close thousands of surgeries between December 27 and 29. Deputies are to be appointed for urgent emergencies.
"We need to make a reform. This has not been done for many years," Lauterbach conceded. "We have too much bureaucracy in the practices. We are now working on this." To this end, the minister announced a crisis summit for January at Platform X on Wednesday. Proposals for a necessary reduction in bureaucracy and a fee reform have been in preparation for months.
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- Despite the upcoming doctors' strike announced for after Christmas, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach believes that the surgeries should not close, as Germany currently has a high percentage of ill individuals in need of care.
- In an interview with RBB, Lauterbach acknowledged the need for reform in healthcare, citing excessive bureaucracy as an issue, and announced a crisis summit for January to address these concerns.
- While expressing no sympathy for the doctors' strike due to the heavy workload, Lauterbach emphasized that the demand for his reforms is crucial, especially since the strike will take place in Berlin, the capital of Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
