Northern Switzerland Both Basel cities launch training offensive in the care sector

Basel-Landschaft and Basel-Stadt have jointly launched the first stage of implementing the care constitutional article. After the legal basis comes into force in July, both cantons will provide training grants in the care sector.

This training offensive will run for eight years, as the two health directors Thomi Jourdan (EPP) and Lukas Engelberger (center) announced to the media on Thursday at the Hofmatt retirement and nursing home in Münchenstein. In addition to fulfilling the federal requirement, i.e. promoting the tertiary sector, the two Basel states are also supporting training to become an EFZ healthcare specialist (FaGe), as Jourdan said. After all, this apprenticeship is an important "feeder" for higher education in the care sector.

Anyone wishing to complete an FH or HF degree in nursing in the two Basel cantons can now apply for individual support contributions of CHF 24,000 per year for full-time training. Part-time students are entitled to CHF 18,000 per year of training. Those with parental care and maintenance obligations are entitled to an additional CHF 10,000 per child per year.

Cantons and the federal government cover the costs

The two cantons also support training companies. The contributions benefit both tertiary education and apprenticeships. Companies receive up to 300 francs per week worked in the HF and FH sectors and a maximum of 1800 francs per year of apprenticeship for healthcare assistants.

The eight-year training offensive will cost around 50 million francs in Basel-Stadt, as Engelberger said. The federal government will cover around 20 million of this. In the Basel region, it will cost around 36 million, with the federal government contributing a maximum of 50 percent, according to the Department of Economic Affairs and Health.

The training offensive is based on the nursing initiative, which was approved by the people and cantons on November 28, 2021. Among other things, this initiative demands that the Confederation and cantons guarantee that there are enough qualified nurses available.

SDA