The children's department at Sollefteå Hospital has closed, marking the beginning of a significant restructuring that will see multiple departments scaled back or eliminated. According to reports, the closure of the department's two care places means approximately 120 pediatric patients per year will now need to be admitted to hospitals in Sundsvall or Örnsköldsvik instead.
The medical clinic at Sollefteå Hospital will be halved from 24 to 12 places in March, followed by the intensive care unit in August. The changes come after a political decision in Region Västernorrland that will eliminate 146 jobs at the hospital, which will now focus primarily on care for the elderly.
the closer they get to closure, the worse the atmosphere becomes
Chief physician Alf Regberg described a gloomy mood at the hospital, stating that the closer they get to closure, the worse the atmosphere becomes. Meanwhile, Kristina Nilsson (S), chair of the health and medical care committee, noted that while Sollefteå's children's department is closing, the question of closing places in Örnsköldsvik hasn't even been discussed.
The regional government estimates cost savings of 46 million kronor, though medical staff have expressed skepticism about these projections, citing unaccounted costs for reconstruction, relay services, and transportation.
while Sollefteå's children's department is closing, the question of closing places in Örnsköldsvik hasn't even been discussed