Shortage of doctors on the islands following health cuts under the memoranda
| 8 April 2015 |
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| Question for written answer to the Commission Rule 130 Notis Marias (ECR) |
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Island inhabitants live in fear of being struck by a health problem, given the degree to which hospitals and regional surgeries are malfunctioning thanks to the Troika and the memoranda.
Residents of Skopelos were recently forced to have x-rays taken by a veterinarian as no other x‐ray machines are available.
One of the most important problems is that there are not enough ambulances or the ambulances have no crews. On many islands, one ambulance is worked in shifts. Also, regional medical centres on the islands are functioning below par, as there are too few rural doctors to staff them.
Finally, the chronic problem of the lack of permanent doctors in numerous specialisms in hospitals has still not been resolved and this is forcing residents to consult private doctors, which they cannot afford, and A&E departments to shut down in large hospitals in other towns.
In view of the above, will the Commission say:
| 1. | What measures does it intend to take to safeguard access for all island residents to the health system, irrespective of where they live? |
| 2. | Does it intend, in collaboration with the Greek authorities, to revise various operational programmes in order to finance actions to safeguard access for island residents to the health system? |
Source: European Parliament
Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the Commission
According to Article 168, paragraph 7 of the TFEU , Union action shall respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the definition of their health policy and for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care. Hence, it is for Member States to decide on how to allocate resources and ensure access to healthcare for their populations.
In complement to national health system policies, an EU pilot project with the aim to help reduce disparities in healthcare accessibility and to ensure equitable access in rural areas was approved with the 2015 EU budget.
To ensure a sustainable health workforce, the Commission’s Action Plan for the EU health workforce helps Member States to develop policy responses to retain health workers. The Commission also carried out a study to map innovative and effective recruitment and retention strategies in the EU. The findings will be available in June 2015.
For 2007-2013, EUR 275 million was available from the European Social Fund (ESF) to support health actions (EUR 155 million was absorbed until April 2015) and from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), EUR 335 million has been allocated for health infrastructure and so far EUR 288 million has been absorbed.
Moreover, for 2014-2020, the EU is providing financial support through the European Structural and Investment Funds in the recently adopted national and regional programmes. In these programmes, funds allocated to Thematic Objective 9 “promoting social inclusion, combatting poverty and any discrimination” , may also support actions in health proposed by Greece according to its national priorities.
1. Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, OJ C 326, 26.10.2012, p. 47–390
2. Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Article 9
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