Following the emergency care reform approved by the Bundestag on Thursday, the Workers’ Samaritan Association (ASB) is demanding several corrections from politicians. Knut Fleckenstein, the ASB’s federal chairman, stated in interviews with the Funke media group that if the public needs to receive fast and qualified help in an emergency, authorities must ensure that emergency services are reliably funded, and that necessary improvements must be made.
While Fleckenstein acknowledged that the reform introduced several “important improvements,” he identified the financing as a critical weakness. He praised the fact that emergency rescue is finally enshrined in the Social Code and the enhanced coordination of emergency call systems, viewing these as significant steps forward. However, he pointed out that the emergency rescue services are not exempted from the planned spending limits. According to Fleckenstein, this leaves the funding for emergency services precariously uncertain.
Prior to the law’s adoption this Thursday, the ASB had campaigned alongside other organizations for clear and reliable legal regulations concerning emergency care financing. They also advocated for meaningful participation in a planned national expert committee designed to provide recommendations for emergency rescue services. Fleckenstein reiterated this demand on Thursday.
The aid organizations that provide a large portion of emergency care must have a proper say in future decisions. He argued that a single seat allocated to aid organizations within the new expert committee is insufficient to reflect their responsibility for emergency care provision.
