Ljubljana - PM Robert Golob announced a comprehensive healthcare system reform for next year at Monday's Q&A session in parliament. Golob said he is counting on active participation of all parties and expressed his full support for Health Minister Daniel Bešič Loredan.

Jožef Horvat, NSi deputy group leader, tabled a question to the PM regarding setting up a healthcare system that would be accessible to all citizens, seeing as "the Slovenian healthcare system has been seriously ill for far too long," he said.

Golob said that he agrees the healthcare system is in need of a comprehensive reform, adding that some action has already been taken with the healthcare emergency act targeting shorter waiting times and how and where the services are carried out, with the government allocating an additional EUR 200 million to reach this goal.

Golob sees digitalization and computerisation as key measures to shorten waiting times, noting that there is large number of unneeded or already performed services still on the official waiting lists, citing 23,000 such cases last month alone. By reviewing the waiting lists, those who are actually in need of treatment will get it.

By paying providers for additional services, the government wants to ensure that those in the pubic sector can do the additional workload under the same conditions as those in the private sector while remaining within their primary public healthcare institutions.

The PM also noted that the healthcare emergency act that came into force in September will remain in place for the next 18 months, after which the reform is to take place. Meanwhile, the act will be amended on a regular basis with all parties hopefully chipping in.

In response to Horvat saying that those working in the health minister's cabinet keep leaving, Golob expressed his full support for Danijel Bešič Loredan, while also noting high public support for the health minister. "People see him as someone who will perhaps finally set the healthcare system straight after 30 years."