Fight for appointments: Young people are annoyed about the lack of doctors in MV!

Fight for appointments: Young people are annoyed about the lack of doctors in MV!

In the last few weeks, a reader from Neubrandenburg has been on a real odyssey while trying to find a doctor to carry out the mandatory youth work safety examination for her daughter. This examination must be carried out before starting training with a pediatrician or family doctor, but the reality is different. “It was an almost never-ending story,” reports the person affected, describing how she looked for an appointment, only to ultimately receive a rejection after four weeks of waiting. The doctor explained that he could no longer carry out these examinations, even though such an examination is required by law, as LAGuS emphasizes.

The situation is not only tense in Neubrandenburg. Complaints about the availability of the necessary examinations are reported from several federal states, particularly from the Mecklenburg Lake District. The pressure on the medical profession is growing because the remuneration for these examinations is viewed as inadequate. The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians refers to the Youth Employment Protection Act, but offers no real support in the tense situation.

Legal requirements and medical processing

According to the Youth Employment Protection Act (JArbSchG), young people, i.e. people between the ages of 15 and under 18, must have a medical examination before their first employment. This approach serves to protect the health and physical development of young people so that only suitable young people start their careers. An examination authorization certificate must be applied for from the responsible registration authority and can only be billed if appropriate documents are presented, as BGETEM describes in detail.

Doctors currently often find themselves unable to carry out such examinations, even if agreed payments are involved. This development means that many parents, like the reader from Neubrandenburg, are reaching the limits of their patience and possibilities. Finally, she was able to get an appointment with a medical officer through the health department, who then carried out the necessary examination. But the relief is only short-lived, as the search for a new doctor will begin again next year.

Appeal to the medical profession

In view of this unpleasant situation, the LAGuS appeals to all pediatricians and adolescent doctors to continue to offer youth occupational safety examinations. General practitioners are generally entitled to carry out these examinations, but there currently appears to be a lack of incentives. In addition, the costs for follow-up examinations must be borne by the state, which in turn means that young people have to be released during this time. These regulations are essential to enable young people to have a safe start into their professional lives.

The challenges are manifold: while the legal requirements continue to exist, parents and young people struggle with the availability of the necessary medical examinations. It remains to be hoped that the pressure on politicians and the medical profession will bear fruit in order to find a satisfactory solution for everyone involved. Northern Courier will continue to report on developments.