LCGB today reported the findings of a meeting on 21 July 2015 between Minister of Health, Lydia Mutsch, and a delegation of LCGB-Santé, Soins et Socio-Educational, whereby both parties offered opinions and solutions on health training, pooling in the hospital sector and the future of the Clinique Sainte Marie.
Recent developments in the health sector have prompted questions on the need to create new professions, such as a nurse specialised in oncology or geriatrics. However, trade union LCGB has stated that such a creation would require an adaptation to the training currently dispensed in the Lycée Technique pour Professions de Santé (LTPS).
As part of the training of health professionals will require the involvement of several ministries, an inter-ministerial committee was set up at the end of 2014 in order to work with industry actors to analyse the training currently offered and the future needs thereof. This analysis is due to be completed in early 2016 and will then serve as the basis for any necessary adjustments and redirections to the training, according to challenges presented.
LCGB claimed that it had made the Ministry aware of potential problems which could arise from the staff transfer from hospital laboratories to the common future laboratory in Luxembourg City. The Union reportedly emphasised at the last meeting of the quadripartite committee, where Health Minister Lydia Mutsch and Minister for Social Security Romain Schneider were in attendance, the importance in ensuring that the social interests of employees be taken into account when shared activities were to be organised.
The meeting was concluded with a discussion of the plans for the Clinique Sainte Marie. A Grand Ducal draft Regulation, aimed at establishing the new hospital plan, has just been notified by the State Council. This Regulation guarantees the operation of Clinique Sainte Marie until at least 2022, as the current hospital plan, under the Grand Ducal Regulation of 13 March 2009 establishing the national hopsital plan, states that, from 1 January 2014, the Clinique Sainte Marie is no longer regarded as a nearby hospital.
As the State Council raised various questions regarding constitutional order and community law in May 2015, the hospital plan project will no longer be adopted in the form of a Luxembourg regulation but rather in the form of a legislative text. LCGB stated that for the moment it remains unclear whether this legislation can be adopted in the short-term due to constraints related to consultation and legislative procedures.
Minister Mutsch claimed that the Ministry of Health is currently examining various possible scenarious for the definitive adoption of the new hospital plan, through observations of the State Council with regards to the integration of the plan into hospital legislation and the deaftong of a law establishing an autonomous hospital plane.
Minsiter Mutsch additionally stated that the bill will seek to continue its commitment to ensuring the operation of the Clinique Sainte Marie as a non-emergency hospital until 2022 - a motion which was reportedly welcomed by LCGB.
Photo by LCGB (Minister of Health Lydia Mutsch (Centre Left) with delegation of LCGB-Santé, Soins et Socio-Educational)
