The Trade Union’s Dire Warning: A System Under Strain
For years, the trade union has sounded the alarm: the tendering system within our health and care services is not fostering improvements, but rather sowing discord and instability.
Every four years, services are subjected to a ruthless bidding process, leaving both staff and patients in a perpetual state of uncertainty—unsure of what lies ahead. This is not a framework designed to enhance quality; rather, it dismantles the very foundation of security that individuals rely on.
The recent closure of the Steffensrud Rehabilitation Centre starkly illustrates the gravity of this issue. This facility, renowned for its successful outcomes over the years, abruptly disappears after losing a tender bid. Approximately 100 employees find themselves jobless, and it is not merely a workplace that has vanished; it is a wealth of expertise, continuity, and a trusted service for patients that has been lost.
To add to the distress, claims have emerged asserting that patients who once benefited from five weeks of intensive rehabilitation can now be adequately “resolved” through outpatient services. This assertion has provoked a strong backlash from the trade union. Experts in the field understand that a few hours spent in an outpatient clinic cannot replicate the comprehensive, interdisciplinary support provided through an immersive stay. To suggest otherwise is to ignore the profound consequences of prioritizing cost over quality in rehabilitation.
When financial considerations overshadow the need for quality care, it is the patients and dedicated staff who ultimately bear the burden. The trade union advocates for a health and care system grounded in professionalism, stability, and predictability—rather than the whims of short-term contracts and tenders.
The situation at Steffensrud should serve as a wake-up call, not an isolated incident. It starkly warns of the repercussions when market-driven thinking infiltrates our healthcare system. We must take action to prevent further erosion of services and the loss of jobs in this vital sector.
Jørn Stensbak, Vocational Section Leader
Health and Social Trade Union Inlandet, Moelv