It is a drastic measure: the Charité in Berlin has decided not to accept any more patients for the time being at the pediatric cancer ward. The reason for this was an acute staff shortage. There are no resources left for new patients, said Ulrich Frei, head of patient care for the Charité, the rbb-infertadio.
"All university children's hospitals in the Federal Republic suffer from the lack of highly specialized nurses and the Charité is also affected," wrote the Berlin clinic SPIEGEL in a statement. Out of 50 posts, ten are currently vacant, mainly in the care sector.
Two young patients have already been rejected. They are now being treated in pediatric oncology in Berlin-Bruch, it said in the letter. Newly ill children and adolescents are referred to other treatment centers such as Cottbus or Hannover.
However, care for the children already admitted to the Charité is still guaranteed, emphasized the clinic. "At no time was there a patient risk," it said in the message.
At the latest starting from the Christmas week a admission of new patients is again possible. Three special nurses will then return to the clinic, according to RBB. These professionals were missing everywhere, Frei said to the broadcaster. "You can not easily replace them with staff from abroad," says Frei.
