Bruck and Voitsberg

Hospital outpatient clinics: Lercher speaks of “breaking one’s word”

Max Lercher (SPÖ, left) vs. Karlheinz Kornhäusl (ÖVP)

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Christian Jauschowetz)

The SPÖ has submitted the first urgent question of the new parliamentary term: it is against changes to outpatient clinics in the provincial hospitals of Bruck and Voitsberg, with party leader Max Lercher even speaking of "breaking one's word". As expected, ÖVP Health Minister Karlheinz Kornhäusl defends the measures, but admits: "We need better communication."

By 12 noon, the regular agenda in the state parliament had already been completed and the first and only urgent question began. The SPÖ has been campaigning for weeks against the relocation of the acute accident surgery outpatient clinic from Bruck to Leoben - this step was already taken on 13 January. The ambulance times in Voitsberg were shortened, which also led to fierce criticism from the SPÖ.

Styrian SPÖ leader Max Lercher spoke of "breach of promise" in parliament: "During our time in government, the future of the acute outpatient clinic in Bruck and the opening hours in Voitsberg were definitely agreed differently." 

The question is who has broken their word. It could be that the Kages management made the decision themselves without informing the government. "Healthcare in the country must remain a political decision and must not be decided by a management structure! If politicians are presented with a fait accompli by Kages, we have a problem."

In Bruck, there has recently only been one day outpatient clinic in the field of trauma surgery.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

100 million euros for LKH Hochsteiermark 
In his reply, Kornhäusl once again emphasized that it is not possible to cover the entire spectrum of care at all hospital locations. There was no way around a structural reform. He defended the change in Bruck: this would bring better healthcare in the region, a second "flagship" would be created alongside the Graz University Hospital, in which 100 million euros would be invested. 60 million alone will be invested in Bruck, where the construction of a new psychiatric ward with 100 beds will start in April. 

However, Kornhäusl also spoke of "teething problems" at the beginning, and he admitted: "There definitely needs to be better communication between hospitals and the population, with the Red Cross and with other partners in the healthcare sector." 

No wave of staff redundancies
All surgical disciplines have now been brought together in Leoben. More than three million euros have already been spent on construction measures on site. There has been no wave of redundancies since the measure was announced; most of the staff have moved from Bruck to Leoben. In the first few days, only one patient had to be sent on to Leoben from Bruck, where a day clinic remains for check-ups and minor injuries. 

According to Kornhäusl, the decision to change the opening hours in Voitsberg was made by Kages. He had been informed of this.

SPÖ and FPÖ have swapped roles
Green Party leader Sandra Krautwaschl pointed out the astonishing new roles: The SPÖ had previously quietly supported ÖVP hospital reforms as a government partner, but this role has now been taken over by the FPÖ. Krautwaschl also spoke of "deception" because the information about the changes had only become known after the state elections on November 24th. 

A vocal critic of the changes in Bruck is SPÖ MP Stefan Hofer, who is also the mayor of Turnau. According to him, the decision to relocate the ambulance was made within the Kages system. The Social Democrats are therefore calling for "a cross-party alliance for the return of this measure" - but this was later rejected, as were all opposition motions. 

"A sympathetic face"
Lercher (SPÖ) spoke up again and described Kornhäusl as the "sympathetic face of bad measures". However, the desired answers would not have been heard today.

Max Lercher (SPÖ): "Bad measures".

(Bild: SPÖ/Peter Drechsler)

It was interesting to hear what FPÖ parliamentary group chairman Marco Triller had to say, who had always sharply criticized the ÖVP-SPÖ government's hospital plans in recent years as a member of the opposition. He pointed out that the SPÖ once co-decided on the "Regional Healthcare Structure Plan" - and that Günter Dörflinger, a veteran of the SPÖ, is the Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Triller praised the government program: "Give us the chance to step on the gas."

Finally, Bruck ÖVP MP Cornelia Izzo, who was only re-elected on Tuesday, reported that the new outpatient clinic in Leoben is working well. She had spoken to several people from the hospital. "We are on a great path!"