According to a request by the BSW to the Federal Ministry of Health, more than 5,000 general practitioner positions in Germany were unoccupied by the end of 2023. This is a worrisome trend, as Germany is known to have the second-best healthcare system in the world, yet it now has 75 percent more unoccupied general practitioner positions compared to five years ago, as stated by BSW chief Sahra Wagenknecht to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. Wagenknecht described the situation as catastrophic, saying that the health insurance companies are becoming more expensive, but the basic care is getting worse. This is particularly dramatic in rural areas and for the elderly, she emphasized.
The ministry also reported that there were more unoccupied positions for pediatric and youth doctors compared to five years ago, although the total number of 216 open practice opportunities in Germany by the end of 2023 was significantly lower than for general practitioners. Wagenknecht expressed support for more medical study places, a stronger obligation for doctors to establish themselves as general practitioners, and a better payment system. “This can only be achieved with a minister who puts patients at the center of their actions and not the profit interests of the pharmaceutical industry” the politician said.