– That we who operate within the public healthcare system have to close down rehabilitation places because the government has not done anything about electricity prices. – I do not have words. That’s what physiotherapist Bård Wiig Kongsjorden says. He has worked as a physiotherapist for 20 years and has a clinic in Gjerstad municipality in Agder. Now he has to discontinue parts of the treatment offer. The reason is today’s extremely high electricity prices of over six kroner per kilowatt hour. – For the patients, it is not good, and it affects an incredible number of people. It is hard to have to do that, says Kongsjorden. Bård Kongsjorden says that the reduction can become a psychological burden for patients. Photo: Tor Kristoffer Oveland Vimme Mental strain He and colleague Jan Henrik Trondal treat 100-120 patients each week. Now 88 of them will lose their treatment offer. As a result, cancer patients, heart patients, stroke patients, people who have had their hips and knees replaced lose their rehabilitation services, says Kongsjorden. Municipal director in Gjestvang Torill Neset thinks this is very sad. – We think it is very unfortunate that the drastic electricity price increases have major consequences for the offer the physiotherapists can provide to users, she says. Kongsjorden goes on to say that the reduction can not only be a physical burden for patients, but also psychological. – Having to walk with significantly more pain entails great mental strain. We also have older people who do not meet as many people a week as in our groups. There they meet others and can be social. Now the patients are losing this. Expect an electricity bill of NOK 50,000 Recently, the electricity costs for the rehabilitation center at Kongsjorden have looked like this: But it doesn’t stop there. The forecasts show that he must expect to have monthly electricity expenses of NOK 20,000–25,000 in August, but December looks even worse. Then the electricity bill is stipulated at NOK 35,000–50,000, says Kongsjorden. This is despite the fact that the clinic has reduced electricity consumption by as much as 60 per cent. Bård Wiig Kongsjorden says the clinic has reduced electricity consumption by as much as 60 per cent Photo: Tor Kristoffer Oveland Vimme – We have saved on everything we can save on electricity. It doesn’t help much with such large electricity expenses as we have now. It is not only Kongsjorden that has to reduce the supply due to electricity prices. In the Debate, you can meet several people who are at risk of having to close their doors. Can’t raise prices Association leader Gerty Lund of the Norwegian Physiotherapists Association understands the despair of the clinic owners, she writes in a press release. She is concerned that the authorities are equating contract physiotherapists with other businesses. – Contract physiotherapists have an operating agreement with the municipality, and are thus part of the public and municipal health service, says Lund. She says that in ordinary private business life most people can compensate for increased expenses by raising prices for their customers. An appointment physiotherapist cannot do that. – Deductibles are regulated by the legislation and a breach of this could deprive the contractual physiotherapist of both the operating subsidy and, in the worst case, also the authorisation, says Lund. – It is a very demanding job. Minister of Industry Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) has previously expressed skepticism about an electricity support scheme for businesses. – I find that most people have a healthy skepticism about such arrangements, because we can risk negative effects for the Norwegian economy, says Vestre. Therefore, it takes some time to put an arrangement in place. The Minister of Industry says that work is being done on measures for an electricity subsidy that will be presented in September. – It is very demanding work, and we do not want the situation to go from bad to worse for the companies, he says. Industry Minister Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) has previously expressed skepticism about an electricity support scheme for businesses. Photo: Victoria Marie Nordahl / news – If we are spending too much money now on subsidizing a business that is initially doing very well, then it can contribute to a faster rise in interest rates, says the Minister of Business. – Is it natural that some companies have to go bankrupt? – In a well-functioning mixed economy, that’s how it is, but it’s very unpleasant. We cheer for everyone who builds Norway. I want as many businesses as possible to succeed, so I don’t want to say it, but our economy is like this now.
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The electricity costs break municipal contract physiotherapists in Southern Norway – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
