From tomorrow, Tuesday, vaccination will be compulsory for employees of nursing homes and clinics in most federal states. This had previously been the subject of arguments for months. Elisabeth Scharfenberg, who has worked for Europe’s largest care group for a good two years, is also dissatisfied with the regulation.
SZ: There is a lot of criticism of the vaccination requirement for medical and nursing staff. Right?
Elisabeth Scharfenberg: It sends the wrong signal. Why target a professional group when it is a problem for society as a whole? I am in favor of a general obligation to vaccinate, also limited in time, for example to two years.
The obligation to vaccinate affects not only nursing staff, but all employees in the facilities.
It is correct that people involved in housekeeping, administration and technology are also involved. But what about relatives and visitors? In general, the contagion takes place in many places, not only in the facilities.
There is no political majority for a general obligation to vaccinate. Although it was introduced in Austria, it was immediately suspended again.
I didn’t expect people to row back so quickly. It irritates me even more how we are currently relaxing. A year ago we had a heated discussion in my district about what happens to the schools if the incidence exceeds 50 – a cute debate from today’s perspective.
How could a general obligation to vaccinate be justified if it has been proven that vaccination does not protect against infections with the omicron variant?
But the vaccination mitigates a possible course of the disease. And also, now that we have Omicron – what about in four weeks? I know that politics very often struggles to find the lowest common denominator. But to tackle the pandemic seriously, she needs to think bigger.
Elisabeth Scharfenberg, 59, was spokeswoman for care policy for the Greens in the Bundestag from 2005 to 2017. She has been advising the private nursing home operator Korian for a good two years, and currently she heads the group’s “Korian Foundation for Care and Graceful Aging”.
(Photo: Korian Foundation)
Scientists also consider omicron to be less dangerous and the current high incidences are therefore justifiable.
Maybe that’s true. But it’s a risky game that leaves significant damage in its wake. Especially in old, vulnerable people with previous illnesses.
Doesn’t that just speak for compulsory vaccination in facilities where many of these people live?
One could argue that. The question remains what use is a compulsory vaccination that is only on paper in the end. The health authorities are not in a position to monitor compliance. And there are upheavals in the institutions: Colleagues are released, long-term employees are dismissed. This is a serious turning point in the lives of these people.
Doesn’t that also apply to those in need of care and patients who become infected because they come into contact with unvaccinated staff?
Absolutely. I would also have a strange feeling lying in a clinic – and the nurse who is taking care of me is not vaccinated. It is true that the vulnerable groups must be protected, and the facility-related compulsory vaccination could perhaps be the beginning. But it’s just a patch, nothing more.
What is the vaccination rate at the Europe-wide care market leader Korian?
Among nurses it is 90 percent. I don’t have any more precise facility-related figures because, as the head of the foundation, I’m not involved in the day-to-day business.
Last became several Scandals in privately run homes public: completely neglected residents and scandalous working conditions in Schliersee, in Augsburg, but also in France. How do you see it? Korian is also a private company.
Even during my political time in the Bundestag, I never saw things in black and white. According to the motto: private is bad, municipal providers or welfare organizations are good. If the privates really took care of residents that badly, their facilities would be empty. The same applies to the staff: nobody is forced to work there. We need the private ones, they provide a little more than half of the care in Germany.
How do you explain these terrible conditions?
For me, this is primarily a question of leadership. An honest and open error culture is needed so that employees do not have to fear reprisals if they name grievances.
Does Korian have it?
In addition to extensive audits, Korian also has its own whistleblower system. The management wants to know if something is wrong somewhere. It’s an open culture. But I wouldn’t base that on whether the sign at the entrance to the facility says Korian, Diakonie or Caritas. The decisive factor is: How does the management of the respective institution deal with it? Is she open to talks? Good nursing always has to do with good leadership.
Isn’t that the compelling economic logic of lower costs and higher returns? So you save on staff, food and hygiene.
I don’t think it’s reprehensible to earn money with care. A doctor or a bathroom fitter also earn money. It becomes problematic when a company does not reinvest anything, especially in the management and training of employees. It’s different with Korian. The group has even created a foundation, the “Korian Foundation for Care and Aging Gracefully,” which works independently and aims to advance care as a whole with projects.
Experts emphasize that despite the nursing shortage, there are also excellent facilities. Why is so little heard about these lighthouses?
There is a lot of competition in nursing. Nobody likes to talk about others, for better or for worse. I am sure that the beacons are well known within the industry. However, much does not penetrate to the outside. That needs to change. Not only is a lot of great work done in nursing, but the majority of residents are also very satisfied there.