By Yannis Anifantis

A new warning to the private doctors who do not participate in the on-calls of the NHS hospitals, who are facing a serious lack of staff, was sent by the Parliament, Adonis Georgiadis, making it clear that the last resort of coercion remains on the table.

“The state that recognizes the great doctor and that recognizes that it was delayed and that recognizes that the tools are not enough is already making structural changes. At the same time, paid private doctors should be interested in working in order to get the emergency rooms out. Not a staggering sacrifice in our opinion. I believe that, as things are going, we should not impose this provision. If they enter, of their own accord I repeat I am not in the mood to impose coercion on anyone. For me moderation is the ultimate solution, like cod oil. I don’t want at all,” emphasized the Minister of Health, speaking to the regional sub-committee on staffing policies for health structures in island and hard-to-reach areas.

“If no solution has been found and the choice is to do what I don’t like but to run the hospital or pretend to run the hospital and play nice union-wise, I’m sorry I want to be clear. My responsibility as the Minister of Health of Greece is to keep the hospitals functioning, finally”, stressed Adonis Georgiadis.

In fact, the Minister described the additional financial “attraction incentive” for specific specialties of doctors in the hospitals of barren areas, in order to have more participations during the re-announcement of the positions: “We are expanding the criteria, as areas are included in the holy areas such as in Sparta. Where he has successive invitations of doctors and they remain barren, the area also becomes barren and he enters and takes the incentives. In Category A we give all doctors 3,600 gross per year and to specialties with a very large shortage (internal pathology, anesthesiology, etc.) we give double that, 7,200 gross extra per year. We don’t just give to those who go now to apply. We give them to all the doctors who serve in the hospital. In Category B, 2,400 euros gross, and in the 6 specialties, 4,800 euros gross.” The new KYA will be issued by the middle of August at the latest, as it needs a legal and technical authorization, which the Minister will receive from the Plenary next week. “Next week there will be a provision in the Parliament that will give me complete freedom of movement, as to how I will handle this matter”, added the Minister.
Mr. Georgiadis also referred to the complaints of the doctors about the risks that they faced, noting that for the first time after 7 years that there has been a problem at the hospital in Kos, the medical association has decided to give an additional incentive of 1000 euros. “A positive move but before the threats started I don’t remember making such a proposal. In the end, it was probably somewhat useful to solve a problem,” he added.

Organizations and medical associations, which were present at the meeting, asked the State for more financial incentives for doctors, in order to staff the units in barren areas, but also funding for the construction of houses, especially in areas where there is high tourist traffic in the summer months.