The future of the Wolfratshausen District Hospital has long been the subject of controversy. Now the district administrator is commenting on the hospital reform. © Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss
Josef Niedermaier spoke at the citizens' association about Lauterbach's hospital reform - and renewed his call for changes.
Wolfratshausen – The hospital reform planned by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is fueling fears, especially among small rural clinics, that they will no longer be able to withstand competitive pressure in the future – including in the Wolfratshausen district hospital. Reason for the chairman of the Wolfratshausen Citizens' Association, Thomas Eichberger, to follow up at the latest monthly meeting of the political group in the Wirtshaus Flößerei. District Administrator Josef Niedermaier (Free Voters), who has often been heavily criticized by the staff of the district clinic in recent years and is also chairman of the supervisory board of the clinic GmbH, remained true to his line. He would like to see more "willingness to change" with regard to the facility on Moosbauerweg, which has been in deficit for years.
What does Lauterbach's reform mean for the district hospital? District Administrator calls for willingness to change
Among other things, Lauterbach's concept envisages that staff will be concentrated in larger clinics and that there will be an increase in quality through specialization in rural health facilities. Many critics fear that the treatment of general cases such as leg or arm fractures could fall behind because it does not bring enough money.
Kreisklinik Wolfratshausen - District Administrator refutes allegations, but demands changes
Niedermaier took the opportunity at the information evening of the citizens' association to refute allegations against his person. "I never said we didn't need the county clinic," he defended himself. At the same time, he made it clear that the financial resources of the district budget are not sufficient to support the Wolfratshausen clinic, for example, with a guarantee of five million euros. "That would considerably limit our room for manoeuvre," the district administrator pointed out. Niedermaier still considers a cooperation between the Tölzer Asklepios City Clinic and the district clinic in Loisachstadt to be sensible. In Wolfratshausen, however, he noted an "enormous fear" of privatization and possible cooperation. "I have become the enemy there and hope that I can get out of it," said the chairman of the supervisory board. Many employees of the district clinic were attached to a model that was "not viable" in the long term.
(Our Wolfratshausen-Geretsried newsletter informs you regularly about all the important stories from your region. Sign up here.)
Referendums on the clinic? Niedermaier considers this to be "problematic"
Referendums such as those in the neighboring district of Weilheim-Schongau are considered "problematic" by the district administrator. There, at the end of 2022, a clear majority voted against a central hospital and thus in favor of the continued operation of the two municipal clinics. In his own words, Niedermaier is following the health minister's reform plans with excitement: "We must have a willingness to change." Everything else "now also depends on the gentleman with the bow tie in Berlin." ph
