In May, Finnmark Hospital announced that they had introduced an admission stop at the Adult Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic (VVP) in Hammerfest. – National shortage of psychiatrists makes it challenging to recruit new specialists, and especially in the districts, they explained the choice in a press release. – Life-threatening Heidi Marie Mauno Sletten lost her son herself after he had suffered mentally for a long time. She sits on the municipal council in Hammerfest and is very committed to drugs and psychiatry. She responds that VPP has had a waiting time of 6 to 8 weeks for acute psychiatric hours prior to the intake stop. – I have no other words for it than that it is simply life-threatening. That should not have been allowed. When it’s acute, it’s acute. Heidi Mauno Sletten. Photo: Heidi Sletten / Private – Nobody wants to come back After the report of concern from the control commission for mental health care and intoxication in Central and Western Finnmark, in addition to notification of improper operation from employees, the department had to introduce an intake ban. The head of the clinic at Hammerfest Hospital, Jørgen Nilsen, says that a permanent shortage of chief physicians, psychologists and other treatment staff is a national problem. This hits hard in places with few people. Clinic manager at Hammerfest Hospital, Jørgen Nilsen says that the department has long lacked personnel. Photo: Jan Harald Tomassen / news – We rely a lot on hiring substitutes, and there is no favorable solution for patients. It is not always the case that the same substitutes return, says Nilsen. The notice complains about precisely this: In the notice, the employees also say that they are tired and understaffed. – Hope it has not gone beyond the patients – We hope the patients have not suffered any injuries in any case, and so far we have not received any notification about it either, Nilsen says. We are now collaborating with the other adult psychiatric outpatient clinics in Finnmark to provide patients with an offer. Thus, those who need help can be sent to Alta, Tana, Karasjok or Kirkenes for treatment. Between Hammerfest and Kirkenes there are 481 kilometers. About as far as from Drammen to Stavanger. It can be a long journey for those who need treatment at VPP in Hammerfest in the future. The plain fears that the long distances will mean that people will not get help in time. – My big fear and apprehension is that this can lead to increased suicide statistics because people do not get help in time. The state administrator looks at the case – Whose responsibility is it to clean up this? – We are the ones who have that responsibility in Finnmark Hospital, we have had that all the time, so there is nothing new in it, Nilsen says. According to him, the hospital is now trying to work with the employees to ensure stability in operations. Finnmark Hospital asked the State Administrator to make an inspection to see what needs to be changed. Following the notification, the State Administrator has asked Finnmark Hospital to account for the capacity of VPP. The hospital must also make an assessment of staffing and proper operation of the outpatient clinic. County doctor Anne Grethe Olsen says that the situation at the ward is serious. Photo: Marius Fiskum / Marius Fiskum The department depends on what the State Administrator chooses to do next. – It is serious that the department itself believes that they can not provide proper health care to patients, says the county doctor. Neither Finnmark Hospital nor the State Administrator knows how long the ward must have an intake stop. – The challenge you have with not having sufficient treatment capacity is not only local in Hammerfest or in Finnmark, it is also valid for the rest of the country, Nilsen says.
ttn-69
Alerted himself, relatives fear more suicides in Hammerfest – news Troms and Finnmark
