“Own employee representation important for the heart center” – Bad Krozingen

The existence of the Bad Krozinger Heart Center was endangered by the loss of income in the Corona crisis. Hans-Peter Müller spoke to the State Secretary about the rescue operation for the house, which resulted in a letter of intent for a future concept under the roof of the Freiburg University Hospital (BZ from May 16), as well as the background to the previously existing financing difficulties due to new tax laws and the question of employee representation Bärbl Mielich.

BZ: Ms. Mielich, as a member of the constituency of Breisgau and State Secretary in the Ministry of Social Affairs, you were directly involved in the negotiations to maintain the Bad Krozingen Heart Center. How do you rate the result?

Mielich: The University Heart Center Bad Krozingen, as one of the largest cardiovascular centers in Germany, has an important position in health care and is a beacon for research and teaching – for the region, for Baden-Württemberg and beyond. Accordingly, the state government and all the ministries involved have been committed to the continued existence and thus a long-term perspective. I am very pleased that the two locations in Freiburg and Bad Krozingen are now secured. Now those responsible have to develop a viable concept for both locations together with the workforce.

BZ: Was the corona crisis really the cause of an impending bankruptcy? How tight was it?

Mielich: Since the elective interventions, with which the heart center generates very good income, had to be largely stopped due to the prescribed corona measures and the daily flat rate of 560 euros per free bed was far from sufficient, the insolvency was imminent. It was imperative that all parties involved, in particular the three ministries involved, agreed.

BZ: The current corona problem has overshadowed existing financing problems. A new sales tax regulation would have given the heart center a funding gap of 7 million euros annually. Uniklinik and Benedikt Kreuz Verein (BKeV), the local sponsor of the heart center, have long been negotiating a leasing solution that should solve this problem. Wouldn’t the lease, which was supposed to be nearing completion, also be the solution to the corona problems?

Mielich: No, that wouldn’t have worked either way. Quite apart from the fact that we are only talking about a day or two until bankruptcy, which has now been averted by the letter of intent, we did not receive the draft lease agreement in the Ministry of Social Affairs until the beginning of March. Our lawyers checked the contract and it quickly became clear that it would not solve the problems, since the BKeV cannot act as a hospital institution in the legal sense. Although the transition period for the tax regulation in question was only recently extended to 2022, this could not help to make the hospital structure previously considered more sustainable. The problem would only have been delayed by a year.
BZ: An important point why the negotiations on the leasing solution dragged on for so long was the question of employee representation at the Bad Krozingen location. On the part of the university clinic, the aim was to have a uniform future staff council and the heart center only wanted to be granted one additional staff council. The current works council of the heart center, which is organized as a GmbH, opposed this together with a broad employee alliance. How do you think the question of employee representation should be solved in the constellation now envisaged?

Mielich: If the Bad Krozinger Heart Center will operate under the responsibility of the University Hospital Freiburg in future, it is clear that there can no longer be a works council within the meaning of the Works Constitution Act, since the employees will in future be employees of the state. So we’re talking about a staff council. However, I strongly advise everyone involved to ensure that the Bad Krozingen location becomes its own permanent establishment within the meaning of the Personnel Representation Act. This is the only way that all employees at the Bad Krozingen location can adequately represent their interests. A clinic is only as good as it can guarantee the satisfaction of its employees. In the further negotiations on the details of the takeover, I think that is extremely important and crucial, especially since the workforce has been extremely unsettled by the discussions about further funding for almost three quarters of a year and we still have to aim for that again Calm down. We can only ensure the necessary planning and supply security for the future with a satisfied workforce.

To person: Bärbl Mielich (Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen) is a directly elected member of the state parliament for the constituency of Breisgau and has been State Secretary in the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration.

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