The local parliament, the South Local Council and Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel expect the state to ensure the long-term preservation of hospital care in the south of the city and funding for the necessary investments.

The wording of the petition:

St. Elisabeth Hospital, with the support of the city of Salzgitter, has been holding intensive talks with the state administration for over ten years with the aim of maintaining the hospital in Salzgitter Bad. The state has never questioned the need for high levels of investment; on the contrary, it has repeatedly held out the prospect of investment funding. Investments are also seen as urgent and existential for the continued existence of the hospital.

Currently, St. Elisabeth Hospital has applied to the state of Lower Saxony for investment funding for a new building in the amount of 28.4 million euros. This application was rejected by the state of Lower Saxony on the basis of the recommendation of the hospital planning committee.

From the city's point of view, this negative decision is absolutely incomprehensible. On the one hand, the state administration is still answerable to St. Elisabeth Hospital. For far too long, the St. Elisabeth Hospital has only ever been put off without even once receiving sustainable support. Secondly, the demographic development of the city of Salzgitter is much more positive than assumed by the Lower Saxony Ministry for Social Affairs, Health and Equality with reference to outdated figures.

Without a new replacement building, there is a risk that the hospital will no longer be able to fulfill its care mandate in the medium term and that the site cannot be retained. From the point of view of the Council, the local councils and the Lord Mayor of the City of Salzgitter, however, high-quality hospital care close to home must be secured and maintained at the Salzgitter-Bad site.

Both the current, positive development in the number of inhabitants in Salzgitter and the already foreseeable medical requirements of the demographic development make it clear that two hospital locations are needed in Salzgitter in the long term. It is therefore essential that the continued existence of St. Elisabeth Hospital is guaranteed in the long term. This serves both the well-being of the patients and the approximately 300 employees.