The region flagged in May that Lycksele BB would not be able to get the staffing together this summer and that the department should therefore be kept closed from July 1.
Four families are affected
During Friday, the announcement came that the maternity and BB in Lycksele will close two weeks earlier than expected. Already from Monday, pregnant women are referred to the coast.
Maternity care in Västerbotten
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– We understand that this affects and can cause concern. Most people naturally want to be able to give birth as close to their hometown as possible, says Anna-Lena Renström, director of operations at the Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology in Västerbotten.
– It’s about four families that are affected and they are contacted by our managers, says Erika Häggblad, president of the Midwives Association in Västerbotten.
The reason for the early closure is due to illness in the team that transports sick and premature babies to Norrland University Hospital.
– It will be a safety risk because the distances will be too long if other transport teams have to cover up. It’s boring, but it is what it is, says Erika Häggblad.
Care conflict and illness
The healthcare conflict with a strike and overtime blockade has also influenced the decision to close earlier. There is a severe shortage of temporary staff throughout the country and the calls for temporary staff that are out there are not being answered.
– It has been lurking to close earlier because we can’t get it together with staff, she says.
The emergency clinic will remain open as usual until the end of June.
In February of this year, Lycksele BB reopened after being closed for over a year, this when the region managed to resolve staffing during the spring with rental staff.
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That’s how long the distances are in Västerbotten when Lycksele BB is closed – watch SVT’s presenter Emma Grönlund explain in the video. Photo: SVT