“We must have the world’s best health and care services,” proclaimed Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) during this week’s annual health address.
In an ambitious move, he announced plans to “carry out the largest health reform in 25 years.”
Vestre has set remarkably high standards. There’s a palpable sense of optimism as he looks toward the future.
“By 2030, we will have an integrated health and care service tailored to everyday life, characterized by shorter waiting times, digital solutions, and increased freedom of choice,” he declared.
This vision is undoubtedly appealing.
It is evident that the Minister understands the challenges facing employees, patients, hospitals, and municipalities alike.
The waiting times within the healthcare system are set to decrease significantly by 2030. Elderly patients will receive care at home, reducing the need for frustrating transfers between hospitals and municipalities. Furthermore, every individual requiring a nursing home placement will receive it.
Vestre is also poised to address issues within mental health care, promising increased treatment capacity and a singular pathway for patients.
Additionally, maternal and newborn care will be revitalized. Women can expect to see the same healthcare professionals throughout their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, ensuring continuity of care and a greater sense of security.
Moreover, healthcare staff will benefit from improved working conditions and management, allowing them to focus more on patient care. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy, reduce sick leave, and explore flexible working arrangements.
While these plans sound promising, how will they materialize?
Vestre’s ambitious health reform hinges on a system that has the time, capacity, and sufficient professionals available to provide comprehensive care around the clock.
The glaring question remains: Does he have those professionals?
Currently, he does not, which poses a significant challenge to his ambitions.
In addressing the healthcare burden, Vestre is shifting more responsibility onto municipalities. He emphasizes the need for care to be more localized, particularly in preventive initiatives. However, it’s important to note that aging cannot be prevented.
Consequently, more elderly individuals will receive care in their homes, leading to fewer hospital admissions.
Remarkably, just days before his health speech, the Municipal Commission submitted its report—a body established by the government itself. Unfortunately, it falls short of the Minister’s lofty aspirations.
Municipalities are already grappling with the recruitment of qualified health personnel to meet existing demands, let alone new ones.
In a drastic proposal, the commission suggests removing the statutory competence requirements for health and care services, which includes the necessity for municipalities to employ a doctor, nurse, midwife, and psychologist.
We face an acute staffing crisis.
Yet, Vestre champions the idea of more advanced local healthcare.
However, the gap between his ambitions and the current realities is glaringly absent from his address.
As early as 2019, the Health Personnel Commission reported a deficit of thousands of health professionals, including 5,500 nurses. And the outlook only worsens.
Statistics Norway warns that by 2040, we could face a shortage of 70,000 healthcare workers—more than 54,000 of whom would be nurses and other healthcare specialists.
While debates about these figures continue, one thing remains clear: the shortage of healthcare personnel is intensifying.
Vestre acknowledges the staffing crisis and cites the Health Personnel Plan 2040, expressing a need for a concrete, time-bound strategy to ensure a sufficient health workforce over the next 15 years.
The challenge, however, is that his proposed reforms look only four years ahead.
In contrast, the solutions for the most pressing issues are being deferred to 2040.
Yet, Vestre does offer some avenues for potential relief from a system that seems to be on the verge of collapse.
Among his proposed solutions is a push for digitalization, aimed at freeing up more time for direct patient care.
He plans to allocate at least NOK 3 billion annually for advancements in artificial intelligence and medical technology. While such initiatives hold promise, they cannot replace the extensive human needs within the healthcare sector.
Vestre also highlights the role of private and non-profit entities as part of the solution to combat long wait times and inadequate capacity in public healthcare services.
Although optimizing the existing capacity is vital, it’s crucial to recognize that private health services do not generate new healthcare personnel.
They simply redistribute existing doctors and midwives between the public and private sectors. The overall capacity remains unchanged; it is merely shifted.
While the Health Minister is indeed on the right track, he overlooks the most critical factor: people.
Until this issue is addressed, the realization of his grand vision will remain limited.