GPs Facing License Problem
All family doctors must apply for a license before the end of the year, a requirement that had previously been waived. According to the GPs' union, a third of all practices might not be up to scratch.
A board member of the union, Anneli Talvik, told Postimees today that family doctors have been underfunded for a while, with only 11 percent of the national health budget aimed at the doctors, who handle 80 percent of all cases, adding that the problem also lies with the GPs, as many have taken out dividends instead of investing into their practice.
Head of the family medicine department at the Health Board, Pille Saar, said those not meeting requirements will be given time to fix the problems, and minor problems will not be cause to shut down practices:
The union countered by saying that lax rules are no solution, calling them a "slap in the face" for those GPs who invest in quality.