The amendments to the Regulations Regarding Mandatory Requirements for Medical Treatment Institutions and Their Structural Units could be drawn up by the beginning of next week.
Problems in the Emergency Medical Service's Riga regional center have continued for several years, and that is the reason why Čakša had insisted on increasing salaries at the Emergency Medical Service, the minister said.
While the overall level of healthcare workers' salaries has increased 30%, salaries at the Emergency Medical Center have increased only 20%, said Čakša.
As reported, the Emergency Medical Service has decided to declare a state of medical emergency in its Riga region center due to a rapid outflow of medical staff.
The service’s director Liene Cipule told journalists on Friday that the service was experiencing a “mass outflow of medics” who are dissatisfied with excessive workload and meager wages, as well as an uncertainty about their wages in 2019.
In Cipule’s words, the resignation of 15 employees has already been accepted, but several other medics have also submitted resignation letters. The Emergency Medical Service’s administration intends to hold talks with these employees.
The state of emergency means that the Emergency Medical Service might not respond to some callouts in situation where there are no threats to human life.