Oulaskangas Hospital changes spark concern among employees in Northern Ostrobothnia
Rapid changes proposed for Oulaskangas Hospital in Northern Ostrobothnia are causing concern among employees. Uncertainties linger regarding the future roles of staff and the hospital’s location. Midwife Marjo Kontinaho fears that patients may be left to fend for themselves if the hospital is downsized.
Nurse Asta Nuorala from the surgical department has expressed that staff members may be relocated to Oulu University Hospital. If this is indeed the plan, Nuorala argues that it’s complicated. For instance, it is about a 160-kilometer journey from Haapajärvi to Oulu, which takes roughly two hours by car—a distance she believes is unmanageable. Employees have reportedly been informed of potential layoffs for those refusing relocation, prompting Nuorala to question whether the Pohte region can afford such cuts.
Starting early next year, Oulaskangas Hospital is set to become a center for acute care and a comprehensive service social and healthcare center, pending approval from the regional council by the end of October. Proposed changes include a shift in emergency services: around-the-clock primary care would cease by October 1, 2025, rather than the previous date of January 1, 2026, leaving only urgent care from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Emergency specialty care is also slated to end by March 31, 2025, while some outpatient surgical services could continue until June 2028, given specific legal requirements are met.
Similar situations are unfolding in other areas, such as Jämsä, Raahe, Iisalmi, and Varkaus, where round-the-clock emergency services will end next year. Ira Karvonen, the Head of Nursing for Pohte, reassures that efforts will be made to retain staff within the region, although many details remain unresolved, and consultation discussions have not yet begun. He emphasizes the importance of remaining focused on essential tasks during this period of uncertainty.