After a two-hour meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Latvian Health and Social Care Workers Union (LPRZSU) did not become more optimistic about the future of the sector, stated the union's head Liga Barinaya.
She noted that a wide range of issues was discussed at the meeting with Minister of Health Hossam Abu Meri and representatives of the ministry, but the central theme was human resources. During the negotiations, the reform of the hospital network, the draft law on clinical university hospitals, the consolidation of psychiatric hospitals, staffing issues, the development of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS), and the introduction of the paramedic profession were considered.
One of the directions of the EMS strategy is the introduction of the paramedic profession in Latvia. The service explains that paramedics are a profession in emergency medicine that meets international standards, requiring academic professional education and clearly defined competencies. Currently, paramedics are being trained in Estonia and Lithuania, working in teams, while Latvia remains the only country with its unique profession of "medical assistant," which is not comparable or recognizable at the international level. The introduction of paramedic training at the bachelor's level would strengthen pre-hospital care and provide professional assistance on-site, as well as ensure career advancement opportunities for industry workers, said EMS leader Liene Cipule.
For her part, Barinaya believes that Latvian medical assistants already largely correspond to paramedics working in other countries in terms of their competencies, so she thinks it is important to regulate the status of this profession in the labor market as soon as possible. Additionally, Barinaya critically assesses the feasibility of spending on the introduction of a new university training program.
Regarding the consolidation of hospitals, she stated that the Ministry of Health indicated that this issue is a "political decision." The Latvian Health and Social Care Workers Union (LPRZSU) expresses concern about the development of hospitals, noting that funding this year is lower than or at the same level as the previous year, which does not allow them to develop. In Barinaya's opinion, this could lead to the closure of hospitals.
Issues related to the linkage of clinical university hospitals to labor law regulation were also discussed. Barinaya noted that for the union, the issue of compensation for overtime work is particularly important, as healthcare workers in the public sector regularly work overtime.
Barinaya also noted that, as the Ministry of Health informed, the Ministry of Finance did not allow proposals to be submitted for next year's budget. This approach is unclear to the union, as in a democratic state, ministries should have the opportunity to submit their proposals, she said.
LPRZSU also does not support the idea of merging the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Welfare. Barinaya stated that the union sees no sense in this and fears that it will further worsen healthcare funding. "Then, perhaps, it would be better to merge the Ministry of Health with the Ministry of Finance," she noted ironically.
As reported, today the LPRZSU council met with the Minister of Health to discuss the situation in the sector and planned reforms.
The purpose of the meeting was to engage in dialogue on current healthcare issues and strengthen cooperation between the Ministry of Health and industry professionals.
The union notes that a number of draft laws promoted by the ministry have sparked discussions in the sector and expects clear arguments from the minister regarding the necessity of reforms and their impact on the quality of patient care and the working conditions of healthcare workers and other industry specialists.
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