Health Minister Zuzana Dolinková (Hlas-SD) acknowledged the need for changes in consolidation measures related to healthcare. She indicated that the proposal to slow the increase in healthcare workers' salaries should be adjusted. However, she maintains that consolidation should not impact healthcare workers at all, a point that still requires further discussion. This was stated after Wednesday's government cabinet meeting.
"So far, we have managed to negotiate 40 million euros, which will not be affected by the consolidation," she reported. Dolinková announced plans to adjust the proposal to limit the salary increases for healthcare workers to three percent for one year. She emphasized that this adjustment would prevent coefficients from changing for health professionals, ensuring their wages do not fall below the average level.
Despite these modifications, Dolinková believes that consolidation measures should not affect healthcare workers. "From my point of view, we should look for resources somewhere other than the healthcare," she added. She expressed her intention for parliament to participate in negotiations regarding the consolidation measures while acknowledging the necessity of implementing remedial actions. "However, not at the expense of healthcare workers," she stressed. Dolinková reiterated that her department has already prepared material regarding the measures, which should be discussed at the coalition council and the government.
She noted that medical unions critical of the consolidation proposal had declined her invitation to discussions. On Wednesday, the Medical Trade Union once again urged the government to refrain from consolidating public finances at the expense of health professionals, suggesting that savings could be achieved through other means.
According to the original proposal, some consolidation measures included slowing the increase in salaries for health workers in outpatient and hospital sectors to three percent for one year or transforming state hospitals into joint-stock companies. These proposals have faced criticism from representatives of healthcare organizations across the sector.
Source: TASR
