Two new institutions in health care: trade unions demand guarantees from the state

The creation of the Central National Agency for Procurement and Logistics (CNAL) and the Luxembourg Medicines and Medical Products Agency (ALMPS) has alarmed the country's main health union, the OGBL. The organisation, which represents hospital workers and civil servants, has expressed concern about possible changes in labour status and the risks of privatisation in the public health system.

The relevant draft laws - No. 8399 and No. 8491 - are currently being examined by the Health and Social Security Commission of the Luxembourg Parliament.

CNAL's new logistics centre is to centralise the procurement and management of medical equipment and supplies for all health facilities in the country. The Ministry of Health estimates that this will reduce the workload of hospital staff by 7-10 per cent, freeing up more time for patient care. OGBL supports this goal, but reminds that all of these functions are already performed within hospitals by staff protected by the CCT-FHL collective bargaining agreement.

The union insists: all current jobs must be retained and all future CNAL employees must be covered by the CCT-FHL, otherwise the innovation could lead to a deterioration of working conditions and the start of a covert outsourcing policy.

The new ALMPS agency will assess, control and monitor medicines and medical products throughout their life cycle. Its mission is to ensure the safety, efficacy and quality of products in the face of increasing supply problems in Europe. The OGBL recognises the importance of this structure for the integration of Luxembourg into the European control system, but is strongly opposed to ALMPS being set up as a private legal entity.

According to the union, if the agency does not have the status of a public institution, it will be a step towards commercialisation of public services, which is unacceptable for the health sector.