– It is irresponsible to make plans that we know cannot be carried out, says Christian Grimsgaard. The superintendent is a trustee on the board of Helse Sør-East (HSØ). The health region covers an area of over 3 million people. Now Grimsgaard is warning against a coming crisis. More jobs – fewer people The health region’s plans for the next few years are clear: More patients will receive help than today Waiting times will decrease Hospitals will add hundreds of millions annually At the same time, there are plans to cut the number of positions. That calculation does not add up, believes Ida Ringerud. – You must be educated at Hogwarts and know magic to achieve that. Ringerud started the campaign #legermåleve after a friend and colleague took her own life. – Doctors are a professional group that keeps their mouths shut until it’s no longer possible. When we speak up, it’s actually serious right away. Ringerud is both a GP and works in a hospital. She is very concerned about developments in the healthcare system. – And then I’m scared. On behalf of the mental and physical health of my colleagues. But I am most afraid of patient safety, she says. The fear is that people will not get enough information. That someone learns that they have a diagnosis that will change and perhaps shorten their life. Then they are left sitting alone because the doctor has to hurry on. – It is an absolutely unbelievably inappropriate situation. And that could be the result of plans made by Helse Sør-Ost, she fears. Ida Marie Ringerud receives strong messages from doctors all over the country who are struggling mentally due to heavy work pressure. Photo: Christian Ziegler Remme / news Must do more In the health region’s plans, there is one thing that will make the math work out: Increased productivity. The employees must do more than today. – It is completely unrealistic, says union representative Christian Grimsgaard. Because employees are already exhausted and have been under pressure for many years, he believes. – When the shoe just gets tighter and tighter, you either have to wear bigger shoes or amputate the foot. What is planned so far is to amputate the foot, says Ida Ringerud. It is not about every employee running faster, replies Helse Sør-Öst. But about using resources better and operating more efficiently. – Increased productivity is achieved by adopting more modern equipment, ICT solutions and buildings. And by continuously working on measures that improve operations, such as division of tasks, says HSØ’s financial director Line Alfarrustad. Fewer doctors – more nursing assistants They want healthcare professionals and nursing assistants to do some of what nurses and doctors do today. They will have more of them in a few years. At the same time, they want to reduce doctor and nurse positions: They plan to have 200 fewer doctor positions in 2027 than today They have already started cutting back on nurses this year – in four years they will have 400 fewer positions than last year They are also planning fewer psychologist positions everything from next year But not everything is a real decline, says Alfarrustad. Because those on sick leave and their substitutes are also included in the figures. Sickness absence will decrease in the next few years, she believes, and then some of the part-time jobs will disappear. In the last ten years, the biggest growth has been in positions for doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists, according to her. In the coming years, however, it is pharmacy positions and operations/IT positions that will increase the most. Finance director Line Alfarrustad says several of their healthcare companies had higher productivity before the pandemic than now. It shows that it is possible, she believes. Photo: Health South-East – A crisis situation Almost all healthcare institutions in the region are getting cuts. The hardest hit is beyond Oslo University Hospital (Ous) and Vestre Viken. Vestre Viken, which runs Bærum, Ringerike and Drammen hospitals, among others, will lose almost 5 percent of all the positions they have today. At the same time, savings must be made. – That will not be possible without you significantly cutting the offer to patients, says union representative Grimsgaard. The goal is for Helse Sør-Øst’s company to add 1.5-2 billion each year going forward. The main reason is that savings must be made for new hospital buildings. Among other things, new hospitals in Oslo. – This is a situation we have steered ourselves into. It is the politicians who have actively been a driving force to carry out these huge projects, says Grimsgaard. Hello! Do you have any thoughts about the case you have read? Or more tips about politics, prisons, the health system, the housing market, facilitation at school or mental health? Maybe about something completely different from Greater Oslo that should be taken care of? Feel free to get in touch!
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Helse Sør-Ost plans to cut doctors and nurses
