Tasks and organisation of the Bavarian State Ministry of Health, Care and Prevention (StMGP)

Our work generally focuses on people and their needs at all times.

Thus, the Bavarian State Ministry of Health, Care and Prevention stands for what people want most for themselves and for others: Health and quality of life – in every phase of life and into old age. The following questions are at the forefront:

• How do I stay healthy as long as possible?
• How do I get the best possible care when I am sick?
• How can I grow old with dignity?

Therefore, prevention and health promotion are a high priority, which is laid out in our health initiative and in the Bavarian prevention plan.

Prevention and health promotion enjoy high priority for us. Based on what we have already achieved, we cooperate with our partners to keep developing the existing Bavarian prevention plan into a comprehensive prevention master plan to strengthen preventive care, health promotion, and health awareness in the state, including protection against contagious diseases.

Another important goal of the Bavarian health policy is to ensure comprehensive quality care. Examples here are

• continuous investment cost funding for the hospitals required for in-patient care in accordance with the Bavarian hospital plan via the annual hospital construction programme
• the successful programmes for
  • the establishment funding of physicians (male and female) in rural areas, and
  • funding of regional cooperation in the health sector (health regions^plus), and
  • promotion of innovative, data-based care offerings.

The number of persons requiring care in Bavaria is expected to grow from the current roughly 580,000 to up to 1 million by 2050. Demographic change, therefore, increases relevance of the subjects of care, palliative care, and hospice care structures. Bavarian State Ministry of Health, Care and Prevention promotes, amongst other things, the development of geriatric care by supporting funding for mobile geriatric rehabilitation.

In addition, the framework for human care is an important concern. For this, the Bavarian State Ministry of Health, Care and Prevention funds specialist agencies for caregiving relatives, amongst other things, and is committed to making the nursing profession more attractive. To this end, for example, a reformed generalist nursing education is to be introduced, the option of academic-based nursing education is to be created, and the possibility of taking over treatment activities in future is to be established.

The Bavarian State Ministry of Health, Care and Prevention also strengthens the consulting and supporting structures on site, in particular by promoting nursing bases, specialist agencies for caregiving relatives, offerings for support in everyday life, and specialist agencies for dementia and care.

Together with the highest municipal associations, the work group of the care fund associations in Bavaria, and the Bavarian state institute for care, the StMGP has developed its “good care. At home in Bavaria” strategy, supporting the care at home and development of urgently needed care places in the scope of the “care in social proximity” subsidy programme. People in need of care from care level 2 onwards have also received the Bavarian state care subsidy since 2018. This way, the Bavarian state government is setting a clear sign for strengthening the right of people in need to care to retain their autonomy.

Implementation of the Bavarian dementia strategy, developed across departments by the Free State of Bavaria as one of the first Länder in 2013, is another fixed component of the Bavarian health and care policy. Since then, a great number of measures and projects could be established to benefit people suffering from dementia, as well as their family members and relatives. The Bavarian dementia strategy has recently been developed further with about 50 partners in the Bavarian dementia pact.

Digitalisation offers great opportunities for care and social support for our older citizens, in particular those no longer able to take care of themselves and dependent on external help. The Bavarian State Ministry of Health, Care and Prevention thus supports the development and expansion of digitalisation in all areas of health policy.

Technological progress, e.g., use of big data, artificial intelligence, and robotics assistance systems, will enable a future where illness can be recognised at an earlier stage, treatment can be applied more specifically, and care can be customised. Data-based medicine enables nurses and doctors to spend more time on what is essential: direct contact and interaction with their patients. Technology will support and relieve staff to place personal care at the focus.

We implement a digital campaign that represents innovation-oriented healthcare and nursing focusing on the patients’ good while comprising all of the ministry’s tasks, from health and care to prevention. The Bavarian State Ministry of Health, Care and Prevention also drives digitalisation of the health authorities to prepare in the best manner for future challenges.

In the scope of its HighCare Agenda, the ministry also supports sustainable establishment of digital technologies in future care, supporting both those in need of care and their caregivers.

Furthermore, the Bavarian State Ministry of Health, Care and Prevention, as the highest professional authority is responsible for the public health service, for hygiene and infection control as well as for the medicines and pharmacy sector. It is supported by the health authorities and the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety and the State Office for Care. In addition, the Ministry exercises the legal supervision over the region’s immediate public health insurance companies and the self-administration bodies in the area of out-patient care in Bavaria. The Bavarian State Examination office for Social Security reviews the efficiency and legality of the administrative actions of the social security agency under the control of the Free State.