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Emergency service North Saxony: Cost explosion threatens care!
The costs for the emergency service in the North Saxony district will rise by 77% from 2026. The need for reform and higher spending are discussed.
Emergency service North Saxony: Cost explosion threatens care!
The emergency services in the North Saxony district are facing a financial turnaround: from 2026, an impressive 221.5 million euros will have to be raised for this important sector. This corresponds to an increase of almost 77 percent compared to the previous calculation period, where expenditure was still around 125 million euros. District Administrator Kai Emanuel describes this amount as extraordinary and underlines the urgency of the situation. What is particularly noteworthy is that a cost increase of 29 percent is already expected for the period from 2025 to 2026. For Jens Kabisch, the second alderman, the reasons for this increase are clear: the annual cost dynamics in various areas make up a significant part, as Torgauer Newspaper reported.
The approval of the regional associations of statutory health insurance companies and the German Statutory Accident Insurance to the award proposals indicates that responsibility for the emergency services remains in trusted hands. However, the providers are not new: Malteser Hilfedienst gGmbH, DRK district association Delitzsch, DRK district association Eilenburg and Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe are active in the various regions. Falck Emergency Rescue GmbH will also continue to operate in Oschatz. It is interesting that the DRK district association Torgau-Oschatz was unable to take part in the tender due to a lack of references - they have not been active in the rescue service since 2019.
Training and quality in focus
In order to meet the future challenge, uniform qualification standards for emergency service employees are to be introduced from 2026. A central contact point for further training and recertification is planned in Delitzsch, which will be supported by Johanniter. This could help increase the quality of emergency services in the region. But anyone who keeps an eye on the current figures quickly realizes that this can only be part of the solution. According to the Association of Replacement Funds e. V. (vdek) has shown in recent years that spending on emergency care and rescue services has exploded. In 2023, spending was 8.7 billion euros - a doubling compared to ten years ago, as the vdek states.
Despite high expenditure, quality deficiencies remain a challenge. Ulrike Elsner, chairwoman of the vdek, points out how important high-quality care is in an emergency. At the same time, it is alarming that a third of rescue operations do not require any rescue equipment because they are not real emergencies. This shows that digital networking and better cooperation between the control centers of the emergency services and the medical on-call service are urgently needed.
A clear vision for the future
To improve the quality of emergency care, it is crucial to reform and modernize the entire system. A study commissioned by the Björn Steiger Foundation and the Bertelsmann Foundation highlights various deficiencies and deficits in the German emergency services system. Not only the processes and organization, but also the cooperation between the various actors are analyzed and possible solutions are presented, as the Steiger Foundation emphasizes.
All in all, the upcoming changes in the emergency services are an issue that affects us all. The rising costs and the need for efficient emergency care make it clear that there is an urgent need for action - a good hand is needed to secure the future of emergency medical care in Northern Saxony. The coming years will show whether the right steps can be taken.