Missing family doctors

Don’t get sick on public holidays!

There is a shortage of on-call doctors around Christmas and New Year's Eve (symbolic image)

(Bild: HELMUT FOHRINGER / APA / picturedesk.com)

Every year, Carinthians are annoyed by the poorly staffed on-call service at GPs - previously a problem mainly in rural areas, the shortage of doctors has now even spread to large cities ...

In recent years, the "Krone" has drawn attention to the many regions of Carinthia that are without GPs at Christmas, Easter, New Year's Eve and other public holidays. These were mostly smaller, rural communities, such as Heiligenblut, Bad St. Leonhard or Millstatt. Now there is even a shortage of GPs in urban areas.

Where there was no GP on duty at Christmas

• Villach South (December 24-26)
• Villach Nord/Wernberg, Afritz, Arriach and Treffen (December 25 and 26)
• Ferlach (December 24-26)
• Kirchbach, Kötschach/Mauthen, St. Lorenz (December 24-26)
• Radenthein (December 24-25)
• Kolbnitz, Möllbrücke, Mühldorf (December 25-26)
• Obervellach, Mallnitz (December 24-26)

The situation was particularly precarious in Villach at Christmas this year: On December 25 and 26, no one in the areas of Villach Süd, Villach Nord/Wernberg as well as Afritz, Arriach and Treffen should have fallen ill: "GP on-call service not staffed - please call Ärztenotruf on 141," the website said. The residents of Ferlach, Millstatt, Seeboden and many more (see info box) would also have had to go to hospital or call the Red Cross in an emergency.

The entire district of Völkermarkt would also hardly have had the opportunity to consult a family doctor - had it not been for a retired but hard-working doctor on duty. Incidentally, this doctor also holds down the fort in the district on New Year's Eve.

Gaps in care around the turn of the year
Although things look better in some areas around the turn of the year, there are still glaring gaps in care: in Villach, Afritz, Arriach and Treffen, as well as Bad St. Leonhard and Reichenfels, the GP on-call services are not staffed at all on 31 December and 1 January. There is also no doctor available in the Feldkirchen district on December 31.

Lack of on-call service: Who is to blame?
There was also political criticism, with Team Carinthia boss Gerhard Köfer expressing his concern around the Christmas holidays: "Rural areas, from Mölltal to Gailtal and Lavanttal, are particularly affected by this. But urban regions such as Villach and Feldkirchen also remain undersupplied. Something must be done. Things cannot and must not continue as they are at present, with these glaring gaps in supply, especially on and after public holidays." A rapid solution to the shortage of doctors was called for.

The responsibility for coordinating and staffing the on-call services lies with the Medical Association and the health insurance fund.

heißt es aus dem Büro von Gesundheitsreferentin Beate Prettner

The office of Health Officer Beate Prettner commented: "The responsibility for coordinating and staffing the on-call services lies with the Medical Association and the health insurance fund. The state has even provided its own vehicle and driver." The population has the opportunity to clarify health issues via the health number 1450.

"In addition, the emergency doctor services are staffed throughout Carinthia." In addition, our hospitals - to which patients who actually only need a GP have to switch - are planned so far in advance that even public holiday services would not be a problem. In the past, it was still said that hospitals needed to be relieved - especially in times when real influenza and sometimes severe flu-like infections and Covid-19 are circulating ...