A national agreement that will stop competition for healthcare rental staff has begun to come into force.
The goal: the same hourly rate regardless of region.
Pressured care in 2024
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The industry has collapsed and believes that the regions are acting like a cartel. Rental personnel have gone out on social media and said that they should “strike” by not taking assignments this summer.
At the same time, summer planning is just around the corner.
– It’s a new game plan now, says Claes Hjertqvist, head of the emergency department in Växjö.
The agreement sets higher requirements for education, but means that some receive lower hourly compensation. Only in April did the joint application process for summer substitutes begin. On Monday, the answers may start trickling in, but several already see a cooler interest.
Closing BB this summer
In Örnsköldsvik, they are already taking action and closing the maternity ward in July and the children’s clinic for two weeks due to a shortage of doctors.
If they bring in relay doctors for that, says Anne Thelander, director of operations at Children and Adolescent Medicine.
– We can only have a doctor on standby and a reception open if we bring in a temporary doctor.
Even Västerbotten may close or reduce operations this summer, depending on how many rental personnel answer yes to the new agreement.
– There is always a pain threshold, but I am not the right person to answer where it goes. Now we have taken it upon ourselves that we, all regions, implement this agreement in solidarity, says Director of Health and Medical Services Elisabeth Karlsson.
Lack of doctors and nurses
Clas Hjertqvist, director of operations at the emergency room in Växjö, employs a quarter of the nurses from temporary staffing. His region, Kronoberg, introduced the new lease on the first of March.
– I am more worried about this summer.
The hope is that the new conditions will lead to it becoming less attractive to work as temporary staff.
– To bring back permanent staff, so that everyone works together on equal terms, says Elisabeth Karlsson.