Most Norwegian hospitals lack proper landing sites for the much larger Leonardo AW101 rescue helicopter (also called Sar Queen), which has replaced the Sea King. Three years ago, Ingvild Kjerkol demanded that the Solberg Government intervene and provide hospitals with landing sites for the new helicopters. Now she herself has become the minister responsible for the matter, and believes that someone other than herself has the responsibility to answer. When news asks to interview the Minister of Health and Care on the topic, it is shown to each individual health enterprise. After news wrote about how pilots have to choose between breaking the law, or sacrificing what is best for the patient, Høgre has raised the issue in the Storting. Minister of Health and Care Ingvild Kjerkol (Ap) wrote in his reply to the parliamentary opposition that he expects the healthcare company to have a dialogue with the Norwegian Aviation Authority to ensure that the use of the landing sites is in line with requirements. It was not the healthcare company that decided that the new rescue helicopters should be the Leonardo AW101. In Høgre, they are not satisfied with the answer. Storting representative Erlend Larsen (H) has himself been a pilot on a passenger plane. He is worried about the situation pilots on rescue helicopters are seen in. He believes that the politicians refer to the health company is an abdication of responsibility. – It is a disclaimer, and it is a disclaimer because the rescue helicopter is a national resource. It is not a resource that individual healthcare companies stand behind, says Larsen. Storting representative Erlend Larsen (H) wants clarity on how the landing sites at hospitals in Norway are to be made ready for the new rescue helicopter. Photo: Per-Åge Eriksen He wants the minister on the track to find out how one can contribute from a political perspective to drive the work forward. – It is too late to get the landing sites at the hospitals approved, says Larsen. Now she doesn’t want to answer Three years ago, Ingvild Kjerkol (Ap) was not a minister, but a spokesperson for health policy in the largest opposition party. She demanded speed in the work to get approved landing sites in place, and wanted an answer from the government on how they should proceed. The development came after the then Minister of Justice Monica Mæland (H) had given a statement that the government should take measures to sort out the situation. – I don’t think the minister gave a good enough answer to the concerns from St. Olav’s Hospital and the University Hospital of Northern Norway about the difficulty with air pressure and noise during landing, Kjerkol told news just over three years ago. Refers to the health care company news has now asked Kjerkol for an interview about how the ministry ensures that progress is maintained in the work. But where opposition politician Ingvild Kjerkol demanded answers, it is now impossible to ask questions. The first rescue helicopters of the Leonardo AW101 type were put into operation in Norway in 2020. It turned out that they cause problems at many of the hospitals in the country. Photo: Defense “When it comes to further questions here, we refer to the regional health undertakings, and to health undertakings such as the airport owner at the individual hospital”, wrote one of the communications advisers to Ingvild Kjerkol, in an e-mail to news. After this message, news followed up by showing how Kjerkol has previously expressed clearly that such questions should be answered by the minister, and asked if she views this differently now. news then received an e-mail stating that State Secretary Karl Kristian Bekeng (Ap) can be quoted as follows: “The hospitals own the landing sites, while Sykehusbygg has the operational responsibility for carrying out the necessary adaptations. The health organizations have a dialogue with the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority about the necessary approvals.” Storting representative Erlend Larsen (H) is now considering whether he should send more questions to the Minister of Health and Care on the matter. – It is not good enough that the minister points to the health enterprise. Although they are responsible for the development, it is the minister who is responsible for it being carried out, says Larsen.
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Now she is a minister, but does not want to answer about the rescue helicopter herself – news Troms and Finnmark
