It has now been decided where the main hospital in Innlandet will be located – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio

After many years of discussion, it has now been decided where the hospitals in Innlandet will be located in the future. On the table were the options Mjøssjukehus in Moelv or the so-called zero-plus option. On Thursday, Health South-East decided that the main hospital in Innlandet will be built in Moelv. This means that the two largest cities, Hamar and Gjøvik, will lose their hospitals, while the smallest city will gain one. Six of the ten board members voted for this during Thursday’s board meeting in Helse Sør-Öst. It is the government that ultimately decides whether it ends up in Moelv. In MOELV: On Thursday, the board of Health south-east made a final decision on the future hospital structure in the interior. The new main hospital in Innlandet will be built at Mjøsbrua in Moelv. Photo: Geir Olav Slåen / news Torch Parade for Hamar The decision also states that Lillehammer will be an emergency hospital and that Elverum will be an elective hospital. Two of the board members asked for a postponement of the matter. The three employee representatives opposed it, they wanted the zero-plus option. The start of the meeting was preceded by the fact that neither clapping nor bowing during the posts was desirable. Because the discussions have been heated in all the years the hospital structure has been discussed. And what has been achieved by consensus has been fragile. The premises have changed along the way, as have the opinions among the population and politicians. WHAT IS THE THING?: news explains the hospital dispute in Inlandet. In 2014, Sykehuset Innlandet was commissioned to investigate four options: One large hospital for the entire county, two large emergency hospitals, three emergency hospitals – or four, much like today. There are a lot of opinions and a lot of input. But the conclusion is that Innlandet will get a large emergency hospital. ???: It has been a long process and deciding which hospitals will remain and which will be closed down. Photo: Grafikk / news Several thousand people went in a torchlight procession in Hamar on Wednesday evening to preserve the hospital in Hamar. They want Helse Sør-East to go in for the so-called zero-plus option with hospitals in both Hamar, Elverum, Gjøvik and Lillehammer, in addition to Sanderud and Reinsvoll. TORCH TRAIN FOR HAMAR: Several thousand people went on a torch train in Hamar on Wednesday evening to preserve hospitals in Hamar. Photo: Anders Bakkerud Larsen / news Can take a long time Thursday’s board meeting was a lot about economics, more about that than geography. Svein Gjedrem is chairman of Helse Sør-Öst. He says that the case is of great importance to the interior, the region and the nation. – This matter may also require in-depth consideration by the government when the time comes. Nobody can promise that this will be dealt with in 14 days in the government. The stones will be turned quite a few times, he says. LONG PROCESS: – The board has had its process. We have used the resources in the administration in Helse Sør-Ost to investigate the case, and so has Sjukehuset Innlandet, too, says Svein Gjedrem, chairman of Helse Sør-Ost. Photo: Arne Sørenes / news The chairman says that this project – i.e. the main hospital at Mjøsa – is financially sustainable. – There is a related concern about the finances of Innlandet Hospital. Many departments spend too much money. This must be in order before you start building a main hospital. Therefore, the time for when construction can start is unknown. Here, there are two influencing factors: The financial management within Sjukehuset Innlandet, and the economy in Norway in the future. The managing director of Helse Sør-Est, Terje Rootwelt, recommends that a new hospital be built in Moelv and that the zero-plus option be rejected. The CEO of Helse Sør-Est, Terje Rootwelt, recommends that a new hospital be built in Moelv and that the zero-plus option be rejected. Photo: Helse Sør-East RHF At Thursday’s board meeting, he said that a thorough investigation of both of these options has been carried out. But Rootwelt points out that there will always be risks linked to recruitment and finances.



ttn-69