Voters approved measures to ease the workload of nurses in November 2021. The people’s initiative called on cantons to improve conditions for healthcare staff.
It is hoped that the reforms will boost the status of nurses and reverse a trend of healthcare staff shortages.
But a Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) survey has found only three cantons are fully ready to carry out the demands of the initiative. A fourth canton, Zurich, has almost completed preparations.
By contrast, ten of Switzerland’s 26 cantons still “have a lot of clarifications to carry out”.
The FOPH specifically points to a lack of progress at improving training courses, which the government is financing with CHF500 million ($540 million).
Less than a third of cantons have created a legal basis for fulfilling the demands of the initiative.
“Given the enormous shortage of nursing staff, this is incomprehensible,” Green Party parliamentarian Manuela Weichelt told the SonntagsZeitung newspaper.
The FOPH pointed out that the survey reflects the situation last summer and said it was confident that cantons would get up to speed.
However, the conference of cantonal health directors says the reforms are being delayed by a lack of detailed information from the government.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
Taxes on pension payments: no problem for the Swiss Abroad
Swiss central banker wants to boost equity to head off risks
This content was published on
Equity levels at the Swiss National Bank (SNB) are much too low for the risks its large balance sheet poses, according to Martin Schlegel.
Beer sales in Switzerland watered down by bad weather
This content was published on
The past brewing year fell through in Switzerland, partly due to the bad weather. Beer sales shrank again. For the first time, per capita consumption fell below the 50 liter mark.
Compensation for Syrian after pregnant wife denied help on Swiss train
This content was published on
Switzerland’s Federal Court has partially upheld the appeal of a Syrian family being deported from Switzerland to Italy in 2014. The man now also receives compensation.
Swiss-EU negotiations: Cassis to meet Sefcovic in Bern
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will meet the Vice-President of the EU Commission, Maros Sefcovic, in Bern on Wednesday.
Covid pandemic has been ‘devastating’ for Swiss nurses
This content was published on
The 2020 survey on working conditions for nurses in Switzerland painted a bleak picture. What has changed with the pandemic?
This content was published on
Healthcare personnel in Switzerland can hope for a boost as voters decided on a proposal to improve working conditions for nurses.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.