Yesterday, a unanimous board in Helse Nord decided to let the University Hospital of Northern Norway (UNN) take over responsibility for the so-called PCI treatment in Bodø. PCI is a gentle treatment technique to open narrow or blocked blood vessels around the heart. The proposal has met with strong protests in Nordland, where it is believed that this will not solve the challenges of major cooperation problems between the hospitals. Both chairman of Helse Nord, Renate Larsen and managing director Marit Lind, were clear in the meeting that the alternative to letting UNN take over the formal responsibility was to close the offer in Bodø. It was these two alternatives that a reduced professional group had concluded with. – We have to be honest that we have a professional report with only two recommendations. The alternative is that we do not have a day service in Bodø. It is important to say, said chairman Larsen before the vote. Siv Mossleth sits on the Health Committee at the Storting for the Center Party in Nordland. She strongly opposes the decision. – False dilemma – Health Nord has developed into a stronghold of ruling techniques, she says to news. Storting representative Siv Mossleth (Sp) believes it was wrong that only two alternatives were pitted against each other. Photo: Helge Lyngmoe / news Mossleth believes it was wrong that only these two options were pitted against each other. Nordlandssykehuset has itself wanted to expand the offer to a 24-hour service. What is PCI? Photo: HANS LUDVIG ANDREASSEN / news PCI is a gentle treatment technique to open narrow or clogged blood vessels around the heart (coronary arteries). The treatment includes examination of the arteries (coronary angiography) and opening them if they are blocked. PCI is an English abbreviation for percutaneous coronary intervention. Examination of the coronary arteries can be done in most hospitals in Norway using CT. Treatment with PCI is only carried out in the largest hospitals. In many cases, PCI can be done on an outpatient basis, that is, without admission to hospital. Most PCI treatments are carried out immediately after the catheter examination if the conditions are right. (source: Store medical lexicon) – The dilemma the board of Helse Nord decided on at the board meeting was whether PCI in Bodø should be closed, or whether the center should be placed under UNN Tromsø’s management. This is a false dilemma, there are other possibilities. The false dilemma is a classic, rhetorical move that is used as a ruling technique to narrow down the options and get the desired answer, says Mossleth. And adds: – A good university hospital is of course important. But Helse Nord cannot sacrifice patients and employees in Nordland for a university hospital. If the patients’ best interests must be downgraded in order to strengthen the university hospital, the price is too high, she believes. – Misses KrF’s deputy chairman Ida Lindtveit Røse also believes that the Helse Nord board misses the target with the decision. The University Hospital of Northern Norway (UNN) will henceforth have all the professional and administrative responsibility for the PCI offer in Bodø, the board of Helse Nord decided this week. Photo: Marius Guttormsen / news – The PCI debate needs a conclusion that safeguards both patients and staff, and that creates peace in the region. Adding today’s offer in Bodø under UNN does not appear to be a solution that provides sufficient peace of mind, but I hope the further work contributes to this, writes Lindtveit Røse to news. Storting representative for the Frp, Dagfinn Olsen, reacts to the whole process. – When I hear the input that the PCI offer in Bodø should be closed down if the cooperation with management from Tromsø cannot be made to work, I am cursed. These are patients who should have had this offer around the clock, not just during the day, says Olsen. Chairman Renate Larsen in the middle, and CEO Marit Lind on the right. Photo: Marius Guttormsen / news Olsen believes that the Helse Nord board has chosen to follow the expert report that came in April without its own assessments. On Wednesday, Avisa Nordland wrote, among other things, about the employees at the heart department in Bodø who say that they have not been in meetings with the Helse Nord management about the alleged cooperation challenges. – It clearly shows that they have not had control over the situation, but have simply bowed to the report without asking any questions of their own, says Olsen. He fears that there could be major consequences if responsibility for the PCI department in Bodø is moved to Tromsø. Here at Nordlandssykehuset in Bodø, there has been PCI activity since 2020, i.e. for four years. Now those who work at the PCI labs in Bodø will be transferred to UNN in Tromsø. Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / news – I fear that some of the employees in Bodø do not want to be part of the load to Tromsø, and thus choose to quit. Then we are left with an offer that will be closed down, says Olsen. – Unfair CEO Marit Lind in Helse Nord has the following comment on the actions of Siv Mosleth and Dagfinn Olsen. – To claim that employees in Helse Nord sacrifice patients or do not put the patients’ best interests first falls on its own unreasonableness. These are gross and serious accusations against the integrity of our professionals, and are at an inappropriate level that we refrain from commenting on. She emphasizes that the board’s decision to maintain and continue the PCI offer in Bodø is in line with the approach to decision, and corresponds to the external expert group’s recommendation. In Helse Nord, there is PCI treatment at UNN in Tromsø (open 24 hours a day) and at Nordlandssykehuset in Bodø. – It provides good conditions for solving the major cooperation difficulties that have been, and have played out in the public space in an unfortunate way. Helse Nord wants to further develop the good professional environment that has been built up at Nordlandssykehuset. We have a good offer for treating heart attacks at Helse Nord, and for the patients it will now be important that there is peace, and that the professional communities put the dispute behind them, she says. And adds: – We register that the management at Nordlandssykehuset now wants to contribute to constructive further work. It is sensible and in line with the board’s wishes. If professional questions arise, this will be handled by the regional professional council in cardiology. Published 20.06.2024, at 19.25 Updated 20.06.2024, at 19.29
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Politicians react strongly to Helse Nord’s board decision on PCI – news Nordland
