The situation in child and adolescent psychiatry in Saxony is worrying, according to one expert. "Despite numerous activities, there is a massive undersupply, and the situation has become even worse since the coronavirus pandemic," Veit Roessner, Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Dresden University Hospital, told the German Press Agency.
Places increased according to the plan, but not available in reality
According to the current hospital plan, the number of places in child and adolescent psychiatry and psychotherapy in the Free State has increased from 245 to 303 places within six years. When asked, the Ministry of Health stated that it had been considerably more difficult to get a place during and after the coronavirus pandemic - a situation that continues to this day.
"The officially reported number of places is a target, because a non-negligible number of places are not even available in the clinics," emphasized Roessner. In large cities such as Leipzig and Dresden, for example, there are enough junior doctors, but too few rooms to create more treatment capacity. This shortage is mainly due to the fact that decision-makers still attach too little importance to the specialty.
