In more than half of the country’s 21 regions, parts of the specialized palliative care are being closed down this summer.
This is shown by TV4 Nyheterna’s mapping – in Malmö, Kristianstad and Trelleborg, among others, end-of-life care is being reduced. And in Trelleborg, critical voices are being raised.
– I am extremely disappointed, says nurse Inga Lill Högfeldt.
Inga Lill Högfeldt is a retired nurse and has worked in healthcare all her life. She is strongly committed when it comes to seriously ill patients’ quality of life.
– I am extremely disappointed that both politicians and civil servants are once again closing the palliative care in Trelleborg, she says.
Eleven regions cut back
The review that TV4 Nyheterna has done shows that eleven of the country’s regions are reducing the number of places in specialized palliative care during the summer. The biggest reason for the closure is a lack of staff. And the person in charge in Trelleborg believes that they have a difficult recruitment situation.
– I can understand that there is concern. The unit in Trelleborg is small with six care places and that makes it a very vulnerable unit, says Ingrid Vestberg, head of palliative care in Region Skåne.
“Want to save money”
Inga Lill Högfeldt is not content with that explanation. She believes that the municipality does not even
been out with advertising for summer staff.
– Why haven’t you planned? I think there is a small dog buried and that you want to save money, she says.