Pediatricians see “supply at acute risk”

Hamburg's pediatricians wrote a fire letter to Social Senator Melanie Leonhard and Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (both SPD) because of an acute threat to care. In it, the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians is also asked to work for the children and their doctors, reports the “Hamburger Abendblatt” on Tuesday.

In some quarters, the situation is "really bad," said the chairwoman of the Association of Pediatricians in Hamburg, Claudia Haupt. “As providers of pediatric care, we see our task and existence threatened. As a result, the medical care of children and young people in our city is in acute jeopardy," the letter from last week said.

Again and again the paediatricians were entrusted with new tasks. "In our practices, we care for a steadily increasing number of chronically ill children with increased care requirements, for example overweight, allergic or rheumatological diseases."

The need for counseling and care, which revolves around the children's environment, has also increased dramatically. "The effects of the corona pandemic and the refugee movement have significantly increased the already sharp increase in the number of children and young people with behavioral and developmental problems, eating disorders, anxiety, depression and school refusal." The paediatricians could not make up for the lack of appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic services compensate.

In addition, there would be waves of infection with respiratory diseases and RS and adenoviruses. If there is no noticeable relief for the practices, there will inevitably be longer waiting times, waiting lists, energy saving days and even practice closures, since economic practice management can no longer be guaranteed, the letter continues. Hamburg's children's hospitals are also overcrowded with small children.

The CDU in Hamburg is now calling on the responsible authority to act. "Hamburg's children and young people still have to wait far too long for care. We have to do everything we can to counteract the negative consequences of the corona pandemic for our children and young people. Simply waiting and watching what the Senate is doing is not an option for us," said Silke Seif, family policy spokeswoman for the CDU parliamentary group.