- SPD politician: Clinics remain an issue after parliamentary elections
The situation of hospitals in Thuringia remains a challenge for state politics, according to SPD health politician Cornelia Klisch, following the state election**. It is crucial to tackle the challenges facing hospitals in light of the planned clinic reform by the federal government, explained the chairwoman of the state social committee after a special meeting of the social and economic committee. The state must learn from the situation at the University Hospital Jena. For Thuringia's only university hospital, the state has put together a comprehensive aid package following a distress call in mid-July due to impending underfunding.
Due to the distress call, the opposition CDU requested the committee special meeting. In the meeting, the CDU demanded a public hearing with representatives from the University Hospital Jena and the state hospital association in the state parliament, said Klisch to dpa. However, this will not be set before the state election, but is planned for September 18.
The aid package for the university hospital includes the assumption of credit obligations by the state, a higher investment subsidy, and the assumption of the remaining costs for a research new building. Furthermore, the hospital receives the green light for the assumption of a loan to cover ongoing costs. For this, 20 million euros are provided this year and 24 million euros from the next year. The responsible ministry of science had emphasized that the new state parliament must still approve the aid from 2025.
Representatives of Red-Red-Green emphasized after the committee meeting that the state government had reacted promptly to the financial needs of the university hospital. Its problems were not caused by the state government, but were a consequence of federal regulations. The CDU had made the situation of the hospitals a campaign theme after the distress call of the university hospital. In Thuringia, a new state parliament will be elected on September 1.
The request for a public hearing concerning the University Hospital Jena and the state hospital association was made by the CDU following the state election, but it's not scheduled until September 18. Despite the financial challenges faced by the university hospital, the state government has provided an aid package, which includes assuming credit obligations, providing higher investment subsidies, and covering the remaining costs for a research new building.
