New super-hospitals to be built in Budapest

There would be five top hospitals in the capital, two on the Buda side and two on the Pest side, while the fifth would be the Honvéd hospital.

Népszava was informed, that prior to the decision, in the last “minutes”, dozens of hospital and business management tenders announced by the ministry in late summer-early autumn were cancelled by the ministry.  

It was previously known that in January there would not only be a new law, but also a system transformation in healthcare. Because of this, they have overwritten the competition that had begun earlier and are instead looking for leaders for forty new positions. They would also include hospitals, clinics, and primary care providers in certain regions. This information was confirmed by Minister of Humanities Miklós Kásler in his video announcement entitled Életközelben (Near Life) on Friday.

In this video statement, Minister Miklós Kásler spoke about the five-member committee that will propose the senior position of public hospitals. He said that this is part of the complete transformation of Hungarian healthcare, but it is also obviously related to the epidemic. He added that, 

after all, the pandemic highlighted the virtues and strengths of Hungarian healthcare, as well as its shortcomings.

Miklós Kásler also emphasised that, accordingly, a multifaceted change has begun, the structure of the Hungarian healthcare will also change, the county hospitals will be appreciated, and the county hospitals will manage the city hospitals in the county. The city hospitals in the county bring together primary care family doctors, communities of practice, and outpatient clinics. “So, county hospital directors need other skills to be able to meet the increased responsibilities. That is why we have asked experts who know the world of Hungarian hospitals,” said Kásler. He then added: “they are looking for the most suitable people for the positions.” 

Among others, a former Secretary of State, a national chief medical officer, and an employee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences were also invited to join this committee.

Népszava writes that there would be five top hospitals in the Hungarian capital. Two on the Buda side, and two on the Pest side, while the fifth would be the Honvéd hospital. Forty institutions come from county hospitals, national institutes, and the aforementioned five hospitals in Budapest.

Hospitals previously attached to them will be decoupled from the current national institutes. For example, the National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases will also be separate from the South Pest Central Hospital, which is the professional centre of Covid-19 care. The latter will operate on the site of the former St. László Hospital, while the South Pest Central Hospital will remain in the former St. István Hospital. Similarly, they separate the Péterfy and the National Institute of Traumatology, which has been operating as an institution for more than a decade.

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Source: Népszava