Sweden’s healthcare is under pressure. In a survey that SVT Nyheter sent out to the country’s 21 regions and to which all responded, 17 regions say that they will have to take cost-saving measures in healthcare this year.
From a political point of view, there is a warning about notice, but according to the regions’ survey responses, the permanently employed care staff will largely manage.
Östergötland notifies
Only Region Östergötland and Skåne have answered “yes” to the question of whether it will be necessary to notify healthcare personnel.
In Skåne, there are plans for a downsizing of 50 assistant nurses at Helsingborg’s infirmary, but only Östergötland has made a formal decision on notice.
– In principle, all healthcare workers are covered by the notification, but doctors and nurses are exempt, says Marie Morell (M), chairman of the regional board in Region Östergötland.
Exactly how many will have to be laid off is not yet clear.
Dalarna is working with other solutions
Among the regions that answered that there will be no need to notify healthcare personnel are Dalarna:
– We are in dire need of nursing staff. Therefore, we have to find other solutions, says Lotta Jansson, acting director of health and medical care in Dalarna.
One of the cost-saving measures that Dalarna is working with is, just like in the country’s other regions, to reduce the cost of rental staff. Something that Lotta Jansson believes can still lead to fewer people working with direct care:
– We are trying to hire. But when we reduce the cost of hiring staff, we risk not being able to staff our vacant positions, which in turn can have consequences in extended waiting times and poorer availability.
Unsafe location
At the same time, the survey only provides a snapshot of the current situation. Several regions are still reviewing their expenses and Region Värmland has replied that they will “probably” need to notify healthcare staff.
– Right now we are looking at case managers and administrators, but as it looks now, it is not enough, says Niklas Larsson, head of negotiations at Region Värmland.