New hospital plan still envisages 76 hospitals
As before, the new hospital plan for Saxony provides for 76 hospitals - spread across the entire state. This is according to the hospital plan approved by the cabinet on Tuesday, which will take effect from January 1, 2024. "It remains a network of hospitals," said Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping. Hospitals for standard and specialist care are planned, flanked by specialist hospitals and maximum care providers. The new hospital plan includes two new specialist care providers in Borna and Bautzen, each covering their own region. This brings the total number to eleven.
According to Köppig, this is a graduated network of complementary hospitals. "My goal is and remains to ensure that every patient in every region receives good care, without every specialty or specialization having to be offered everywhere." The SPD politician spoke of a transitional plan that may have to be adapted following the planned federal hospital reform.
From January, the number of hospital beds across Saxony will fall by three percent - according to the ministry, this is based on applications from the providers, many of which are dealing with a lack of capacity utilization. A lack of staff is also a reason.
This means that 24,797 beds will be available in Saxony's hospitals from January. In order to respond to the increased demand, capacity in mental health specialties, including child and adolescent psychiatry, will be increased by 85 beds. There will also be more beds in geriatrics in future. Overall, the hospital plan aims to strengthen medical care for older people.
By the end of the year, a list will be published of which clinics will offer which treatments in future. With the hospital plan, Saxony wants to respond to demographic change with an ageing population, among other things.
The approved cabinet's hospital plan includes the establishment of two new specialist care providers in Borna and Bautzen, expanding the network of hospitals for specialized care in Saxony. Minster Petra Köpping emphasized that her goal is to ensure every patient in every region receives adequate care, with specialized treatments not needing to be available everywhere.
Source: www.dpa.com
