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Vienna State Parliament: Health care reform or polemic? Progress in focus!
On April 17, 2025, the Vienna State Parliament will discuss health care, nursing staff and financing of clinics in Vienna.
Vienna State Parliament: Health care reform or polemic? Progress in focus!
In a heated discussion in the 40th Vienna State Parliament on April 17, 2025, LAbg. Mag. Andrea Mautz from the SPÖ expressed sharp criticism of the FPÖ, which, in her view, played on the fears of the population and distributed blame. Mautz emphasized that simple polemics do not offer solutions to the significant challenges in the health sector or the modernization of clinics. Rather, the city government is committed to working on needs-based health care, which is supported by concrete measures.
Particularly noteworthy is the training of 5,000 additional nursing staff, which was initiated as part of the reforms. In order to improve the health infrastructure, investments amounting to 3.3 billion euros are planned for the renovation and modernization of Vienna's clinics by 2030. In addition, 63 regional health centers are to be opened in cooperation with the Medical Association, the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) and the City of Vienna, with the aim of building an additional 30 centers by 2030.
Acute care and waiting times
Mautz also referred to the services provided by Vienna's health care system. Wigev, the largest trainer for health professions in Austria, ensures that 140,000 operations are carried out annually and that Vienna offers the shortest waiting times for planned operations compared to other federal states. All employees in the health sector are obliged to treat patients equally and according to urgency.
Political disputes
Krauss submitted several motions aimed at equal treatment for practicing physicians and improving medical care. However, his concerns were rejected, as were the requests from LAbg. Wolfgang Seidl (FPÖ), who discussed the long waiting times for Austrian patients from other federal states.
Meanwhile, Labor MP Peter Florianschütz from the SPÖ emphasized that only illegal migrants should be asked to leave the country, while asylum seekers are in the country legally. He criticized the FPÖ's proposal to introduce preferential treatment for people who pay into the health system. LMP Hannes Taborsky from the ÖVP recalled the FPÖ criticism of the Corona measures and advocated for more efficient use of operating room capacities.
However, all five motions did not find a majority and were rejected, which once again highlighted the controversial discussions in the state parliament and the challenge of health policy in Vienna.
It is also important to mention that Wigev plans to double the number of training places for health professions to a total of 4,400 by 2024. These places apply to three areas of nursing training: nursing assistant, nursing assistant and the FH bachelor's degree in health and nursing. A new “House of Health Sciences” at the FH Campus Vienna will open for bachelor's studies from autumn 2024 in order to further promote training and meet the increasing needs of the population, which is growing due to demographic developments and the retirement of many skilled workers. gesundheitsverbund.at reports on this in detail.
The 40th Vienna State Parliament ended at 1:55 p.m. without the political participants reaching a consensus on the challenges in the health sector. The debates have clearly shown how important it is for political actors to work together constructively to ensure future-proof supplies for the Viennese population.