Staff at Länsi-Pohja hospital propose €1.24 million annual savings plan amid service cuts

Staff at Länsi-Pohja hospital in Kemi have presented an alternative cost-saving proposal that would secure services while cutting over €1.24 million annually, public broadcaster Yle reports. The plan comes as Lapland’s wellbeing services county prepares to decide on further reductions to the hospital’s operations.

The employee-led proposal includes ending weekend surgeries, reducing surgical on-call services, and consolidating recovery and monitoring wards. According to Maria Lovén, director of Mehiläinen Länsi-Pohja health services, these changes would eliminate the €610,000 in additional costs projected under the state evaluation group’s recommendations.

The staff initiative follows months of public opposition to cuts, including a protest in October when a large crowd demonstrated in support of the hospital during a visit by then-Social Affairs Minister Kaisa Juuso. The hospital’s neurology chief physician, Anu Toikka, stated that employees developed their own calculations because “this is a very significant matter for the future of specialised healthcare” at the facility.

Lapland’s wellbeing services county had returned the hospital’s service reduction plans for further preparation in February, seeking clarifications on earlier savings estimates. However, on Friday, the county announced it would proceed with modifications aligned with the state evaluation group’s demands. Officials claim 90 percent of Länsi-Pohja’s patient visits will still be handled locally, with emergency clinic hours unchanged and outpatient services maintained.

The county board will review the proposals on Monday, with the county council making a final decision in late March. Staff calculations also account for patients potentially redirected to Oulu University Hospital, warning that delayed transfers of critically ill patients could increase risks.

Critics, including county councillor Heli Trög, argue the process reflects “poor familiarity with the issues,” noting some representatives rely solely on administrative reports rather than engaging with frontline perspectives.