The Ministry of Health has visited health professionals in eastern Slovakia today. The first stop became the Faculty Hospital of J. A. Reimana in Prešov, and subsequently the representatives of the resort met with fellow medical professionals at Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice. Minister Vladimir Ms Lengvarsky and State Secretary Lenka Dunajová Družkovská presented the increase in salaries for health professionals and the system changes that started, which will improve health in Slovakia.
In the last ten years, Slovak health has not moved from place to place. As soon as the pandemic enabled us to do so, we started working on comprehensive solutions. From securing the salaries of health professionals, to a new system of fair financing of acts, investments, education, to setting up new rules for handling health levies. Since we are moving to the implementation phase after the preparation phase, we want to present the planned changes to colleagues, said Vladimir Lengvarsky, Minister of Health.
The government approved a proposal for a fairer evaluation is the result of months of negotiations with all relevant stakeholders: trade unions, chambers, professional organisations and associations and other organisations. The Ministry notes that the increase in health pay is not over in 2023 and will continue in the coming years.
This is the highest salary increase in the last ten years. But above all, we deal with health care professionals in a complex way, not just some occupations. I think it is of some symbolic value that the fact that our colleagues will be approached by the minister - the doctor and State Secretary - sister, podiatat Lenka Dunajková Družkovská, State Secretary, Ministry of Health.
The Ministry's Administration pointed out that the increased salaries of health professionals alone are not a panacea for Slovak health. According to the Department, it is essential to ensure systemic and sustainable financing of health care.
This is why a year ago, the resort took the initiative to introduce the DRG system to replace the current non-compliant flat-rate compensation system. The Ministry also corrects distortions in the current setting of the use of health levies and launches investments from the Recovery and Resilience Plan to Hospital Facilities.
It is these things that we want to talk to our colleagues in hospitals about. As the first to encounter current acute problems, they should be the first to know about the solutions being prepared, and Vladimir Lengvarský added. According to the Minister, hospitals in eastern Slovakia are the first stop, but far from the last. The Ministry's management plans to visit its colleagues soon in other regions.