The incoming government will have to seek additional resources for healthcare staff, outgoing Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke stated on Thursday in the Chamber, in response to questions about a protest by the non-profit sector.
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Brussels on Thursday to express their dissatisfaction with staffing shortages and high work pressure in the non-profit sector.
Interim Minister Vandenbroucke fielded questions from Sarah Schlitz (Ecolo), Steven Coenegrachts (Open VLD), Daniel Bacquelaine (MR) and Marie Meunier (PS) during the question time in the Chamber.
He emphasised that significant progress has been made in the sector over the past legislative period, but warned that the next government must continue this work.
“Even if the margins are very tight, even if we go through a budget consolidation period, we must seek resources to invest in our healthcare staff,” he stressed. “The protest is an important signal for anyone taking responsibility in this country.”
Investment is crucial, but reforms are also necessary, Vandenbroucke added, particularly in optimising the deployment of hospital staff.
Nurses could take on new responsibilities currently performed only by doctors and be relieved of simpler tasks that other staff could handle.
The Deputy Prime Minister has previously advocated for reducing fee supplements, linked to a reform of hospital financing.
“The individual performance medicine system leads to excesses, so the financing system must change,” he said on Thursday.
