Published: Just now
It looked bleak – but the puzzle to get the staff together paid off and the summer has been better than expected in maternity care. Even so, the basic problem remains: There are not enough midwives.
– We need solutions for the whole year, not just urgent solutions for the summer, says Erica Solheim, vice president of the Swedish Association of Midwives.
Summer is always particularly vulnerable in maternity care. There is a shortage of midwives, and those who are available must have holidays while care can neither be paused nor scaled back – rather, more children are born. In a survey conducted by TT in May, a majority of Sweden’s regions stated that they did not have enough midwives to handle the staffing of the maternity wards this summer.
In the middle of high summer, however, the situation looks better than anyone dared to hope for.
– It looked very awkward before, but generally we have an okay staffing. Of course, a lot of it is thanks to very loyal employees, says Diana Bornstein, acting division manager for surgery in the Sörmland region.
Even in the Uppsala region, they have “definitely had worse summers”, says Hanna Waernér, deputy director of operations for women’s health care.
– It is not without effort, but we have so far managed to cover all sessions, she says.
Planned on time
Erica Solheim, vice president of the trade union Swedish Midwives Association, says that it is a more difficult situation in metropolitan regions and in regions with few midwives – but says that the situation generally looks better than expected around the country.
– We have not seen that there is a crisis and disaster in the same way as before, she says.
The explanation lies in the fact that the regions have taken the problem seriously and started planning well in advance, she believes. Many regions have solved it by bringing in temporary staff as well as offering compensation to regular staff to take extra shifts or to postpone the holiday and instead take it this autumn.
It is also common to borrow midwives who normally work in other parts of women’s health care to the maternity wards.
– Everything is tightened towards the delivery, but instead the care can be substandard elsewhere, says Erica Solheim.
In the Västerbotten region, the maternity clinic in Lycksele was not fully staffed. For just over two weeks, only emergency births will therefore be accepted, and those in labor who can wait a couple of hours will be sent to Umeå or Skellefteå. Despite that, the outcome was better than expected – it was feared that they would be forced to close the department completely.
“Marks the whole year”
But the basic problem remains, says Magnus Hedström, area manager in the region.
– This is not a local problem for Västerbotten. I’m concerned about how the heck we’re going to be able to get nationally safe staffing so that there isn’t this frustration and uncertainty every summer, he says.
Erica Solheim also points out that the long-term problems with the midwife shortage remain.
– Giving compensation for postponing the holiday is a good, but temporary solution. In general, everyone must have the right to get their vacation in the summer, their four weeks together with their family. Otherwise, we know that midwives quit, because then it’s not worth it, she says, adding:
– The summer situation characterizes the entire year’s work environment because it is not resolved.