Overview
- The proposal codifies practices introduced in 2024, including five urgency categories and flexibility from the ten‑minute top‑crew benchmark for every call.
- Non‑urgent patient transports would be routed away from 112 with greater use of the central 19 222 number to ease pressure on emergency lines.
- A preventive approach called vorbeugender Rettungsdienst would expand first‑aid training and health competence to reduce avoidable callouts.
- Officials cite rising demand with nearly 500,000 rescue operations in 2024 and about 40,000 low‑urgency cases referred to the Kassenärztliche Vereinigung.
- Unions and opposition welcome elements of the plan but warn that effectiveness depends on funding, training capacity, and recruiting enough paramedics.