Association declares state of emergency in Latvia's hospital sector

RIGA - The Latvian Hospital Association has declared a state of emergency in connection with the Constitutional Court’s ruling regarding the regulation for medics’ overtime work, the association’s chairman Jevgenijs Kalejs told LETA.

The Constitutional Court ruled in May that transitional provisions in the Medical Treatment Law, which stipulate "extended working hours" for medical personnel, are not in line with the Constitution. The provisions were invalidated, preventing medics from working overtime without receiving double pay for the extra hours.

Kalejs indicated that the changes in the regulation adopted in accordance with the court ruling had restricted overtime work, which could not only seriously affect medics’ wages, but also threaten provision of round-the-clock emergency medical services in hospitals.