This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress
The Belgian Association of Medical Unions (Absym) called to strike on Monday, July 7, to denounce a pre-project of framework law on the profession which risks, according to the unions, to “degrade the quality of care and their accessibility”.
Absym has filed a strike notice in protest in the face of this bill of the Federal Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke, the association announced, noting that the medical unions had already submitted to the Minister a series of alternative proposals to this preliminary project on Thursday.
“Strike is not common among doctors. But for Absym, it has become the ultimate way to make the minister understand that his framework of framework law is unacceptable, “said the association in a press release, saying that” several red lines have been crossed in this preliminary draft “, which will lead to” a degradation of the quality of care as well as a decline in their accessibility “.
The first measure which poses a problem according to Absym concerns the capping of fees supplements at 125% in the hospital sector and 25% in the outpatient sector, without in -depth reform of the nomenclature and hospital financing. “This limitless limit, without clear follow -up and without guarantee of fair competition conditions is completely unacceptable,” according to the unions.
The possible abolition of the partial agreement, which allows doctors to offer their patients consultations at the prices of the agreement and to work outside the agreement at other times, is also a stumbling block. Absym considers that this will have the effect of leading to massive disappointment of doctors, the opposite of the result desired by the Minister.
The third criticized measure relates to the withdrawal of the Convention which could only be done “on the reasons provided for by or under the law”. However, this would “considerably” reduce the margin of negotiation of medical unions with a view to the conclusion of an agreement, denounces the organization, which also opposes other measures provided for by this preliminary draft, such as the possibility for the Minister to organize the withdrawal of “fraudsters” doctors from the list of practitioners receiving premiums via the National Institute of Health Insurance-Institute (INAMI), Unionists, “goes against the separation of powers and undermines our democratic system”.
Absym thus launched an appeal to all doctors, general practitioners and specialists in the country, so that they participated in the protest movement on July 7, leaving their offices closed and eliminating their consultations in the hospital.
Hospital emergency services will however be maintained in order to be able to take care of patients who need urgent care, as required by the law, specifies the association, which underlines that the strike notice could be lifted if Mr. Vandenbroucke is alarm on the various measures referred to by medical unions by July 7.
