Big differences

Good care must not depend on zip code

Staffing ratios and costs vary from state to state.

(Bild: P. Huber)

According to Caritas, 50,000 additional nursing staff are needed across the country by 2030. But the differences by federal state are serious.

In addition to inflation and migration, care is the main issue on people's minds. And rightly so, as Irena Udric, home and care service manager at the St. Magdalena retirement and care home run by Caritas in the 17th district, emphasizes: "The end of the road is still a long way off. But before we even talk about the quality of care, we have to get a grip on the staff shortage. Because that's where the issue stands or falls."

So many, but not enough
Although there have never been as many people employed in this sector as there are today, there are more shortages than ever before. This is due to demographics, but also to the general conditions, which vary from province to province. First of all: Vienna is in the best position in Austria in terms of personnel, as the WIFO (Austrian Institute of Economic Research) found in a study by Caritas. This study looked at the projected personnel requirements up to 2050.

Vienna is different
While Vorarlberg, for example, will need 122.5 percent more mobile nursing staff by then, Vienna will need 81.6 percent more. For inpatient services, Vienna will need 107.6 percent more by 2050, Salzburg almost 140 percent (see chart).

"This is partly due to Vienna's young demographic," explains WIFO economist Ulrike Famira-Mühlberger. However, it is also clear that the city has invested heavily in training, which is also remunerated.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

Financial burden
"However, there are also major differences in the type and scope of the subsidized care services, with significant differences in the tariffs and the individual financial burden," explains Caritas President Nora Tödtling-Musenbichler. And not even the staffing ratios in the inpatient sector are the same throughout Austria.

Let's take a patient with care level 7: in Vienna, one full-time mobile care worker looks after a patient with this level. In Burgenland, there are 2.4 people for every full-time caregiver. "Care and support must not be a matter of chance. We must put an end to the housing lottery," says Tödtling-Musenbichler.

Vienna Caritas Managing Director Klaus Schwertner, Home and Care Services Manager of St. Magdalena House, Irena Udric and Austrian Caritas President Nora Tödtling-Musenbichler call for a reform of the system (from left).

(Bild: Viktoria Graf)

The international comparison
But there are also points where Vienna is worse off. For example, private co-payments for mobile care services are the highest in Vienna after Lower Austria. And in an international comparison, Austria generally lags behind in terms of the number of care workers.

Vienna's Caritas Managing Director Klaus Schwertner believes the new federal government has a duty. Establishing uniform rules across the country, focusing more on prevention when it comes to care allowances, better working conditions and more pay for care workers as well as digitalization to relieve the burden must be included in a comprehensive system reform.