How is it possible to open the maternity ward in Kristiansund when there is a shortage of professionals? That is the big question during Health Minister Ingvild Kjerkol’s (Ap) visit to Kristiansund on Thursday. The problem for Kjerkol is that the Storting has decided that the maternity ward in the city should remain open. In addition, the government has guaranteed that they will manage this and has promised NOK 25 million to get the department back on its feet. Nevertheless, it has mostly been closed for the past year and a half because the healthcare company cannot get hold of enough professionals. Mayor Kjell Neergaard (Ap) wants to know whether all possibilities have been tried to recruit staff for the maternity ward. Photo: Marius André Jenssen Stenberg / news – We want an answer to whether every stone has been turned over, says the mayor of Kristiansund, Kjell Neergaard (Ap). He describes the atmosphere in the North Sea town as terribly bad, when it comes to the hospital case. Even he has not given up hope. There was great joy in Kristiansund when the maternity ward opened in June. After the department was closed for the summer, critical personnel were again missing due to illness and it could not open as planned. Photo: Tore Lyngvær / news – Is it possible to get hold of people In June, people cheered and waved flags in Kristiansund, because critical personnel were finally in place and thus the maternity ward could reopen after being closed for over a year. The luck lasted for three weeks. Then some of the employees called in sick and the department had to remain closed again. Per Olaf Lundteigen (Sp) is critical of what has happened. He thinks it is possible to get the employees needed to open the maternity ward. Per Olaf Lundteigen has been involved in the hospital case in Kristiansund for several years. He believes the Minister of Health must ensure that the maternity ward opens. Photo: Eivind Molde / news – There is no such thing as not being able to get hold of professionals. I haven’t experienced it in other hospitals in Austlandet that they close down wards, says Lundteigen. He thinks it is strange that such a large organization as Helse Midt does not have professionals who can solve a critical situation. If necessary, professionals should be moved within the company, he believes. Watch Health and Care Minister Ingvild Kjerkol being shown around the maternity ward during his visit to Kristiansund on Thursday. Understand that they do not want to work there. Three hospital managers recently resigned from their jobs, because they believe it is not possible to reopen the maternity ward. The health authority is struggling to recruit professionals when the rest of the country also lacks midwives and gynecologists. If they are to entice with higher wages or move people from other places, they fear that other hospitals will have to close their departments. Sylvi Listhaug (Frp) believes it would have been easier to get hold of professionals if the maternity ward in Kristiansund were to exist even after the new hospital is completed. Photo: William Jobling / news Sylvi Listhaug (Frp) understands that health personnel will not apply for a job in a maternity ward that will be closed down in 2025 anyway. Then the new joint hospital for Nordmøre and Romsdal will be ready. – What would solve it is to continue the maternity ward also after the new hospital is ready, says Listhaug. She expects the Minister of Health to take action and give a clear message that all possibilities must be tried and that the money allowed will be used to put the offer in place. Pregnant Christanse Reitan Yttervik believes the lack of professionals is a national challenge, which the Minister of Health must address. Photo: Marius André Jenssen Stenberg / news National problem Pregnant Christanse Reitan Yttervik has settled down that she will not give birth in her hometown when she has due date in one month’s time. – It is not ideal. A town the size of Kristiansund should have a maternity ward, says Yttervik. For her, the most important thing is to give birth safely, not that the journey is the shortest possible. Having the maternity ward open if there are too few employees seems unstable. She wants professional quality and stability. – It doesn’t help to shout that you should only bring in temporary workers and more money, says Yttervik, who believes that the local hospital management has done the best they could to recruit employees. She believes the Minister of Health must see the maternity and maternity services and the lack of professionals as a national challenge, not just as a crisis in Nordmøre. – Too little has been done for the long term. There are too few professionals overall, says Yttervik. Health Minister Ingvild Kjerkol will not comment on the case until Thursday afternoon. The maternity ward in Kristiansund has been closed since February 2021, with the exception of three weeks this summer. Photo: Marius André Jenssen Stenberg / news
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Per Olaf Lundteigen believes there are professionals for the maternity ward in Kristiansund – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
