"The realisation of the constitutionally guaranteed right to healthcare for all residents of Slovenia is the foundation of the nation’s health. Unfortunately, this right is being violated increasingly often – both for individuals and at the systemic level," said Deputy Ombudsman Dr. Dijana Možina Zupanc, who also chaired the meeting, in a statement to the press at the end of the meeting, which took place today, 5 November 2025, at the initiative of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia (Ombudsman). The meeting with Minister of Health, Dr. Valentina Prevolnik Rupel, and patient rights representatives was intended to discuss acute challenges in the healthcare sector, review the implementation of the Ombudsman's recommendations, and strengthen direct dialogue between patient representatives and the Ministry of Health (Ministry), which has so far been lacking. After the meeting, Deputy Ombudsman Zupanc, Minister Dr. Prevolnik Rupel, and patient rights representative Marjan Sušelj each outlined their perspectives on the issues discussed in a press statement (right).

The main topics of the meeting were the staffing shortages in the healthcare sector, which are reflected in the overload of employees and the difficulties in providing continuous care, the lack of nursing hospitals providing appropriate transitional care between hospital and home treatment, and ineffective supervision in the healthcare sector, which often fails to bring about improvements in practice. The participants also discussed the growing inaccessibility of family doctors, the shortage of paediatricians, gynaecologists, dermatologists, psychiatrists, and other specialists, which is also reflected in increasingly long waiting times and postponed diagnostic procedures. The need for optimised work processes, work organisation and, above all, effective management of healthcare providers was repeatedly expressed. Attention was also given to the worsening situation in mental health, particularly among young and elderly people, and to ineffective communication within the healthcare system, which causes inconsistencies between institutions, inadequate patient information, and diminished trust in the system.

Deputy Ombudsman Dr. Dijana Možina Zupanc emphasised that the Ombudsman has been warning about the critical shortage of health and nursing staff for more than a decade. "Patients feel the consequences of this staff shortage every day in long waiting times, limited access to services, and a lack of appropriate post-hospital care. Due to the shortage of staff and facilities in Slovenia, we still do not have enough nursing accommodation for people who cannot live independently after hospital treatment. They remain in hospitals or are left in the care of relatives, who often lack both knowledge and support. Such circumstances further burden the health system and extend waiting times for other patients," warned the Deputy Ombudsman. More about the issue of nursing hospitals.

On behalf of the Ombudsman institution, the Deputy Ombudsman welcomed the Ministry’s efforts, but warned that the situation on the ground is already urgent, and the effects of certain measures will only become visible over time. She also questioned how it will be possible to retain additional staff in healthcare, as many healthcare workers are leaving the profession due to overwork and poor working conditions. "It is therefore necessary to address the appropriate organisation of work, education, remuneration, and to ensure a transparent salary system that provides appropriate and decent working conditions for all healthcare employees. Their work is of exceptional importance for society as a whole. Until these issues are properly resolved, it is difficult to expect any improvement in the situation," said Deputy Ombudsman Dr. Dijana Možina Zupanc.

She further stressed the Ombudsman continues to warn of excessively long and ineffective supervision in healthcare and of poor information of patients about their rights, which increases their distress and further undermines trust in the system. Both the Ombudsman and patient rights representatives agree that effective mechanisms must be established to eliminate the systemic causes of safety deficiencies in healthcare and that greater efforts are need to detect and address them. "The mere implementation of various forms of supervision appears ineffective, especially given the fact that there is often no conclusion," stressed Dr. Možina Zupanc. According to her, there is also a gap between the severity of violations and the appropriateness of measures taken, which reduces patients' trust in the system, damages the reputation of healthcare providers, undermines their integrity, and negatively affects relations with the public and service users.

At the end of the meeting, she reiterated that Slovenia, as a welfare state, must not allow situations in which access to health services depends on luck or personal connections. "When the path to a doctor becomes longer than the path to a diagnosis, we can be sure that the compass of health policy must change direction. The state must ensure clear and effective standards, decent working conditions, and systemic financing. Without this, care for vulnerable groups, among whom we may all find ourselves at some point in our lives, will fall to an unacceptably low level. And we must not allow this as a society," stressed Dr. Možina Zupanc.

The Deputy Ombudsman concluded that it is therefore essential to strengthen the dialogue with those stakeholders in healthcare who face accumulated problems in healthcare on a daily basis. "One such group is certainly the representatives of patient rights, so we therefore welcome the assurance given at today’s meeting that the competent ministry will begin holding regular meetings with them. Such meetings enable regular and, above all, direct insight into the situation on the ground and contribute to faster identification and resolution of problems within the system," added Dr. Možina Zupanc.