3000 new foster homes through hospital reform

Nursing in North Rhine-Westphalia can benefit from hospital reform

16/12/2014

Due to the planned hospital reform in federal and state governments, there could possibly be a significant increase in nursing wards in clinics in North Rhine-Westphalia. This said the NRW Health Minister Barbara Steffens (Greens) to the news agency „dpa“. Accordingly, from 2016 about 3000 additional jobs are possible. An urgently needed step, as the staff is currently "completely overwhelmed", especially by the rising numbers of patients with dementia or multiple diseases.

660 million euros for a foster care program
Already on 5 December, a federal and state working group had presented the cornerstones of the hospital reform agreed in the coalition agreement to the public. According to this, it is planned that the health insurances will provide 660 million euros nationwide for a nursing home care program, through which deficits in care in the hospital „be at least partially cushioned“ could, so the message of the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia. From the point of view of Health Minister Barbara Steffens, this is also urgently needed, as more than 10 000 new jobs have been added to the hospital doctors in North Rhine-Westphalia since 2000, in the area of ​​clinical care „standstill“, so the criticism of the Minister. „As we will have more and more elderly patients with multiple illnesses and increased care needs, hospitals urgently need more staff“, emphasizes Barbara Steffens.

Only about 100,000 nurses in 2013
As Steffens further explains, the number of patients in the country's hospitals has increased by about a quarter to 4.4 million over the past 18 years. By contrast, at the end of 2013, there were only about 100,000 nurses in NRW - and thus fewer than 300 people more than in 2000. That said „a good care and sufficient human attention are indispensable for a good healing process“, the expert continues. Especially after an operation it would depend on a good support, for example to avoid complications or falls or to be able to accompany the important mobilization of the patient.

Overall, however, 215 million euros in addition for the reconstruction of the hospital landscape in North Rhine-Westphalia in the next few years necessary, the Minister continued to dpa. It is planned that half should come from the Federal Health Fund, the other half should be co-financed by the state. In addition, the cornerstones of the federal and state working group would also provide that hospitals, which could not carry themselves, in the future less complicated than so far a so-called „backup surcharge“ could receive. The prerequisite for this, however, is that the hospital can not be dispensed with in terms of basic services for the population. „About Vital“ In the future, above all, the cooperation of the hospitals, regardless of whether they are in the city or in the countryside. It must „In addition, houses focus on their strengths and not everyone thinks they have to offer everything“, asks the minister.

Bad clinics can be sanctioned in the future
Background of the demand is the planned quality improvement, which is to be achieved in the course of the reform on nationwide quality criteria. According to this, clinics with extraordinary services can expect surcharges from the health insurances in the future, while poor hospitals are to be admonished or sanctioned by discounts if there are no remedies. „In the future, the quality of planning and financing of care will play a key role nationwide. What we have achieved in North Rhine-Westphalia for the first time with our hospital planning will thus become the benchmark nationwide. This is not only a great benefit for the patients, but also strengthens all players in the healthcare system, for whom the quality aspect has long been in the foreground“, so Steffens on. (No)