During Wednesday’s lunch break, the employees showed their dissatisfaction with Karolinska. In front of the main entrance in Huddinge, they protested, among other things, against what they call the hospital management’s reign of terror.
The final straw was that the hospital recently dismissed the maternity department’s long-term manager, Karin Pettersson. She has been employed for over 25 years and is described by many as an icon.
Did not report side missions
An external investigation showed that Karin Pettersson did not report side assignments and used her work email for commitments outside of the managerial position, which since 2020 meant almost 15,000 emails about things other than work.
– Our mission as doctors and other healthcare staff at the hospital is to provide care for patients above all, but also to develop care, research and to educate. But also to inform the public, then you need to send emails and be in contact with each other, says Linn Levin, ST doctor at Karolinska.
Even the employees at Karolinska in Solna demonstrated at lunch today. TV4 Nyheterna has applied for Karin Pettersson, who does not want to appear for an interview. Her case is now being pursued by Stockholm’s medical association, which expects to begin negotiations with the hospital management next week, with the aim of having her resignation withdrawn.
– She is not completely innocent, but there must be a proportion between what you have done and the action that the region takes against you, and dismissal is a very harsh step, says Johan Styrud, chairman of Stockholm’s medical association.
He believes that they should have talked to her instead and believes that there is something else in the case, which he does not understand.
“You talk about a culture of silence”
However, the hospital closes the lid and does not want to give any details about why they also reported Karin Pettersson to the police for unfaithfulness to the principal and fraud.
– Karin is an incredibly talented obstetrician, but when it comes to compliance, it applies to everyone. Independent position in the organization, says Göran Stiernstedt, chairman of Karolinska University Hospital.
On the other hand, the chairman is already saying that Karolinska will set up an investigation into the employees’ overall accusations of a reign of terror.
– People talk about a culture of silence and I take that very seriously, says Göran Stiernstedt.