Social and Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) laid this down in a decree published on Wednesday, and the new regulation will come into force on October 1. The union and the Vienna Chamber of Labor were pleased. According to a press release, Rauch sees this step as “an important sign of recognition for the work of nursing staff. The work is worth the same, regardless of who does it.” According to the ministry, over 220,000 assessments are carried out in Austria every year.
Since July 2023, qualified health and nursing staff have also been allowed to carry out initial assessments to determine the level of care required. Previously, qualified nursing staff were only allowed to carry out assessments for requests for increases. According to the Ministry of Social Affairs, around 36 percent of all assessments are now carried out by nursing staff, which enables faster assessments.
90 instead of 20 euros
Until now, the fee for assessments for nursing staff was only 20 euros – and thus less than that for assessing doctors. From October 1st, all assessors will receive a uniform 90 euros. The Ministry of Social Affairs is providing an additional 1.5 million euros per year for this. “Equal pay for equal work – that must apply in all areas. This principle must also apply to the fees for nursing staff,” said Rauch. “This will finally put an end to an injustice that has existed for years,” emphasized the Greens’ nursing spokeswoman Bedrana Ribo and health spokeswoman Ralph Schallmeiner.
Currently, around 490,000 people in Austria receive nursing care allowance. The amount is between 192 and 2,061.80 euros per month. This depends on the level of care required. This is determined by an assessment by a doctor or qualified nurse. The federal government spends around three billion euros annually on nursing care allowance.
Union pleased
On Wednesday, Rauch also pointed out the improvement for caring relatives that came into force on September 1st: They now receive reimbursement for substitute care from the first day. In addition, the group of recipients has been expanded to include close relatives such as foster parents, aunts and uncles. Caring relatives can now, for example, “take one day off” a week. Previously, reimbursement was only possible after three consecutive days. The annual maximum amount is between 1,200 and 2,500 euros, depending on the level of care.
The union and the Chamber of Labor (AK) were delighted. Silvia Rosoli, head of the nursing policy department in the AK, and ÖGB nursing expert Martina Lackner: “The fact that, in addition to doctors, senior nursing staff can now also prepare reports and that the same work is paid the same are successes for AK and ÖGB – and of course also for all nurses who write these reports,” they said in a press release.
The union vida also saw this measure as fulfilling an “urgent demand” of the union for equal pay for equal work in this area – “an injustice is finally being eliminated”. Especially in times of record inflation, the equalization of fees was “long overdue”. vidaflex – the union initiative for one-person companies (EPU) – also welcomes the announcement. The health minister is thus meeting a demand from the union vida and vidaflex.
