From 1.10.2023 modification of Decree No 22/2018 of MZ SR establishing catchment areas and fixed points for fixed outpatient emergency services ambulances the number of fixed points and their catchment area for fixed APS ambulances for children and adolescents has been adjusted.
This is a crisis stabilisation measure for personnel capacities of primary paediatricians. K 1.1.2023 in Slovakia lacks 20% primary paediatricians and almost every second paediatrician is in retirement age.
Without the adoption of stabilisation measures, the sustainability and availability of not only health care provided in fixed APS ambulances, but in particular the sustainability of child care provided and the maturation of primary paediatrics by day are at risk.
The activity of fixed APS ambulances for children and adolescents is mostly provided by the same primary pediatricians who operate their paediatric clinics during the day.
The objective of consolidation of fixed points is to maintain the operation of APS for children and adolescents, while respecting the limited personnel capacities of pediatricians. This is the concentration of primary paediatricians into functional units in terms of the number of serving doctors at one point, so that their merger ensures an accessible and sustainable APS for the next period.
The main parameter of the modification was the creation of functional APS for children and the increase in terms of both a sufficient number of serving doctors at the level of 15 doctors and a direct link to other components of the health care system at a fixed point as an urgent reception or paediatric separation.
Consolidation to 40 fixed points of fixed APS offices for children and adolescents is gradual and takes place in three stages: 10/2023, 7/2024 and 11/2024 without interference with already issued and valid APS office permits.
This modification is without prejudice to the very definition of APS, according to which APS is defined as healthcare provided to a person who is not in immediate danger of life or in imminent danger to some of his basic vital functions.
Primary pediatricians aware of the crisis situation in primary paediatrics have prepared information portal for parents and the general public www.pediatridetom.skwhich offers information directly from experts. The Slovak Society for Primary Paediatric Care of the Slovak Medical Society, which is a professional company for outpatient (primary) paediatric care, took over the portal.