Odense University Hospital to cut 250 positions with 60 layoffs ahead of new facility

Odense University Hospital (OUH) will eliminate 250 full-time positions by 2026, with 60 employees facing layoffs, Danish broadcaster DR reports. The cuts come as part of a cost-saving drive tied to the hospital’s upcoming relocation to a new facility.

The reductions stem from a regional efficiency requirement of 434 million Danish kroner, which must be fully implemented by 2028—one year after the new hospital is scheduled to open. The savings will be achieved through layoffs, reduced capacity, unfilled vacancies, and operational streamlining, according to hospital director Niels Nørgaard Pedersen.

Pedersen confirmed that 60 employees will lose their jobs, with the remaining cuts absorbed through attrition and restructuring. “We’ve managed to reduce the number of actual dismissals to 60,” he said, acknowledging the impact on affected staff. The hospital currently employs around 10,000 full-time workers.

The layoffs will primarily affect three groups: 33 administrative health workers (such as medical secretaries), 24 care staff (including nurses and healthcare assistants), and three doctors. Other measures, like mandating time off in lieu of overtime pay, have helped lower the number of redundancies but have drawn criticism from unions.

Betina Iroisch Kristensen, a union representative for nurses and radiographers, called the process “extremely difficult,” noting the shift from years of hiring to sudden job cuts. “Many are struggling with this change,” she said. Kenneth Marten, representing healthcare assistants, added that the loss of overtime pay has created financial strain for some employees, as it forms a significant part of their income.

Pedersen insisted patient care would remain unaffected. “We will fully maintain the same high-quality, safe treatment as before,” he stated. The new OUH facility, delayed from its original 2022 completion date, is now expected to begin admitting patients in late 2027.