Austria's health-care crisis

The debate surrounding Austria's nursing crisis has intensified following revelations that Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel's mother-in-law was illegally tendend on her deathbed by a Slovakian nurse. "The Austrian chancellor's family did exactly what thousands of other Austrians are doing in this situation," writes Michael Völker. He adds: "The market for illegal carers has grown in Austria because the state is unable – either logistically or financially – to provide care for the people (mostly old) who need it. By turning a blind eye politicians have created a system in which illegal employment and exploitation is tolerated. The chancellor is responsible for this situation. For years, the state has ignored the problems with the nursing system, which would have collapsed long ago had it not been for the illegal workers. The result is that even the Schüssel family, in a time of need, resorts to using nurses from Slovakia working illegally."

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