– The emergency services in Narvik and Lofoten will not be weakened. Then Helse Nord must continue to show leadership, as they have done, said Kjerkol. Her main message was that waiting times should be reduced, efforts on mental health and substance abuse should be strengthened, and major measures should be taken in the hospital economy going forward. – We have to look up and see the big picture, said Kjerkol at the start of his speech. The news from Kjerkol has led to jubilation in the north. – My goal is to have strong professional development in our health services. Unfortunately, in the future we will face major challenges with access to professionals, more elderly people, a complex disease picture and the threat of new pandemics, Kjerkol said in the speech. She points out that these things cannot be solved with today’s organisation. – Our society is changing. We know that more people leave working life than those who enter. The shortage of professionals is getting bigger and the proportion of older people is increasing. This is not a distant future, said Kjerkol. She pointed out that one is already noticing the changes in the healthcare system. Kjerkol promised more money for hospitals during the hospital speech in Bergen. Hospitals have been subject to efficiency cuts for 15 years, but from 2025 Kjerkol believes that this will no longer be necessary. This will free up approximately NOK 500 million for hospitals from next year onwards. – Now we have reached a point where the gain must be said to be taken out and no longer seems as logical, Kjerkol said in the speech. Major cut proposals ahead The Trongare health budget has led to cut proposals across the country. There has been a storm around Health Minister Ingvild Kjerkol and people have gone in torchlight processions to fight for their hospitals. In Helse Nord, it has been proposed to centralize and collect more of the hospital offer. Among other things, a working group has proposed to close the emergency service at hospitals in Narvik and Lofoten. Instead, hospitals were to carry out more planned treatments, which are a large part of the activity at a hospital. The difference is that you then don’t have 24/7 on-call and therefore can’t take on emergency cases. In addition, there have been proposals that the child care provision should be scaled back in several places. One of the reasons for the problem in healthcare is a lack of healthcare personnel. Both staffing and finances are central to Norwegian hospitals. Many have fought for their offers. In addition to the change in Northern Norway, it is proposed, among other things, to close the maternity service at the hospital in Elverum and to cut drug treatment in Bergen. The directors of, among others, Helse Bergen and Oslo University Hospital have called for a torchlight procession for health. But in the end it is the politicians who decide. Annual speech On Tuesday morning, Minister of Health and Care Ingvild Kjerkol (Ap) gave the hospital speech at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen. Every year the Minister of Health and Welfare gives a speech to hospitals. Here the minister presents the expectations of professionals and managers and requirements for the board of hospitals. The Hospital Speech 2024 is Kjerkol’s third speech as Minister of Health and Care. Ahead of the speech, it was expected that Kjerkol would take up funding for new hospitals and that there would be clarifications about the situation in Helse Nord.
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Minister of Health and Care Ingvild Kjerkol gives the hospital speech 2024 at Haukeland hospital in Bergen – news Vestland
