– There are many uncertain pregnant women wondering what is really going on, says Vågan’s chief municipal doctor, Jan Håkon Juul. Nordlandssykehuset has decided that the maternity ward at Stokmarknes in Hadsel municipality will be converted into a delivery room. The reason is a lack of bioengineers. The difference between a delivery room and a maternity ward at a hospital Maternity ward In maternity wards, obstetric specialists and midwives are on duty around the clock. Some maternity wards are attached to hospitals without an intensive care unit for newborns. Delivery room Delivery rooms are units that can be located in or outside hospitals. This is an offer for healthy pregnant women with a normal pregnancy and an expected normal birth. The birthing rooms are organized from a hospital with a maternity ward, and are staffed by midwives. If complications arise during the birth, you will be transferred to the maternity ward or women’s clinic. (helsenorge.no) – It has become too easy to reduce maternity services. The new scheme may mean that many women in labor have to travel far and possibly be away from home for several weeks before the birth. – They may have to be away from family, sit in solitude and dread the birth, says Juul. Lately, we have heard several stories about maternity services being cut in several places in the country. The municipal superintendent believes that it has become too easy to reduce maternity services. – People think it is normal and unproblematic, he says. – Something it is not. He believes that it is necessary to ensure that women giving birth have a safe framework and predictability in the maternity services and emphasizes that this applies to the whole of Norway. – I cannot imagine that it is not possible to transfer some bioengineers from, for example, Bodø and secure emergency services and maternity services for Vesterålen and Lofoten. Municipal superintendent Jan Håkon Juul and municipal psychologist Lene Sommerseth Hansen in Vågan traveled to Bodø to attend an emergency meeting with Nordlandssykehuset following notification of a downgrading of the maternity services. Photo: Malin Nygård Solberg / news – Greater chance of complications This fits in with a number of priorities that Helse Nord currently has when it comes to saving money. Municipal psychologist in Vågan, Lene Sommerseth Hansen, believes the most vulnerable groups must pay for the red numbers in several health regions. Hansen refers to research and says that a safe and predictable delivery service is good prevention. Pregnant women who were actually supposed to give birth at the hospital in Stokmarknes may have to travel to either Harstad or Bodø. If women are unsafe before giving birth, there is a greater chance of complications, she says. The same applies to psychological difficulties, according to Hansen. – This can, for example, lead to an increased incidence of postpartum depression. – It is outrageous that they have so little respect for women giving birth in such a large region. Should have been better prepared – The lack of bioengineers has major consequences for our hospital. The biggest one is that the maternity ward is turned into a delivery room. That’s what mayor of Hadsel municipality, Aina Nilsen (Sp), says. Mayor of Hadsel municipality, Aina Nilsen (Sp), describes the situation as dramatic. Photo: John Inge Johansen / news The lack of bioengineers will, in addition to the maternity ward, affect the entire surgical clinic. Something Nilsen believes will give all residents a significantly poorer health service. Has Nordlandssykehuset put themselves in a situation they knew they could come across, the mayor wonders. – It has been known for several months that there is a shortage of bioengineers, she points out. Not possible to find a solution Clinic manager Gunn Hege Valøy at the surgical clinic in Nordlandssykehuset tells Bladet Vesterålen that approximately 60 percent must be selected either to another maternity ward in Harstad, or the women’s clinic in Bodø. Managing director Siri Tau Ursin at Nordlandssykehuset tells news that it is a temporary change because they lack personnel at the office in Stokmarknes. – We are very sorry for that. It is not a situation that I am happy about in any way. – We are working as hard as we can to get a good solution in place, says Siri Tau Ursin, who is CEO of Nordlandssykehuset. Photo: Ole Andreas Bø / news For several years, the hospital has struggled to get hold of bioengineers, says the managing director, who believes it is a national problem. Nevertheless, it is only this week that the situation has become so precarious that it is not possible to find a solution. – We have been in contact with temporary employment agencies, we have been in contact with other companies both in our own region and nationally. We get hauling help from Helse Nord HRF, which tries to help us get hold of people. – So much has been tried, and we are now trying everything we have tried before, again. It is allegedly an emergency situation with sick leave which was the last straw and which leads to the hospital having to close the laboratory in Vesterålen at night for a period of time. – Are there any other patient groups affected? – To a very small extent. But it can be the case that certain patients who are scheduled for surgery may receive a postponement or an offer to operate elsewhere. It only applies to a few, and those it applies to will be contacted. Ursin says that they have planned meetings and want a good dialogue with the mayors. – We want to explain what is the background and how we are trying to solve it.
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– Outrageous that they have so little respect for those giving birth – news Nordland
