Nursing staff in Hamburg: Highest hourly wage brings new challenges!

Nursing staff in Hamburg: Highest hourly wage brings new challenges!

There is an encouraging trend for nursing staff in the Hanseatic city of Hamburg: the average hourly wage has risen to 24.55 euros, which represents an increase of 1.35 euros compared to the previous year. This puts Hamburg at the top in a nationwide comparison of the federal states, followed by North Rhine-Westphalia with 24.21 euros and Rhineland-Palatinate with 24.01 euros. This is shown by the analysis by the umbrella association of statutory health insurance companies (GKV), which also reports that the nationwide average is 23.70 euros and has increased by 4.9 percent.

But while the pay of nursing staff is improving, residents in Hamburg have to expect their own contributions to increase. These could increase by an average of 100 euros per month, which could be partially offset by relief surcharges from the nursing care insurance companies. Around 30 euros of the increase could be attributable to this surcharge. The additional expenses for long-term care insurance are estimated at around 260 million euros per year, and the personal contribution only covers part of the costs for care and support.

Care costs and living standards in Hamburg

The higher wages in Hamburg are partly offset by the rising cost of living. A significant cost factor is personnel costs, which the providers of care facilities also have to take into account. Since 2022, nursing care funds have only been allowed to conclude contracts with homes that pay according to the tariff or at least similar. This ensures that not only salaries increase, but also the additional costs for the residents, which include accommodation, food and investments in homes.

The situation is similar in other federal states: In Baden-Württemberg, wages for nursing staff have also risen, from 23.35 euros to 23.99 euros. These increases also lead to higher contributions for the residents, which increase by an average of 100 euros per month. This problem is therefore not just a Hamburg phenomenon, but also affects other regions. The personal contribution for those in need of care was already 3,180 euros per month in July 2024, which means an increase of 149 euros compared to the middle of 2023.

Overall, it is clear that despite higher wages for nursing staff, the situation for nursing home residents remains tense. The challenges posed by rising costs continue to be discussed and it remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the coming years.

For more information about developments in the nursing sector in Germany, visit Welt and Tagesschau.