Vorarlberg weighs hiring school doctors as half of schools lack one

Vorarlberg is examining options to employ full-time school doctors after nearly half of the region’s compulsory schools were left without one, ORF reported. The state is considering doctors who would serve several schools.

There are currently 64 school doctors working in the compulsory-school sector, covering about half of all such schools. School operators, usually municipalities, are responsible for finding doctors, but many struggle to do so because of the general shortage of doctors, particularly in smaller towns.

The situation is different at federal schools, where the education directorate appoints school doctors. All 15 school-doctor positions at Vorarlberg’s federal schools are currently filled, according to the state.

The state’s mobile vaccination team also supports schools without their own doctor. Twenty-six schools used the service during the past school year, including 15 primary schools and 11 lower secondary schools. A total of 1,068 vaccinations were administered, and the programme will continue in the coming school year.