Lapland regional council to reconsider major cuts at West Bothnia hospital

The Lapland regional council will vote again on Monday on a controversial proposal to significantly reduce services at West Bothnia Central Hospital, after the state assessment board deemed the council’s earlier rejection unlawful, reports Yle.

The proposed cuts would end after-hours surgical readiness, intensive care monitoring, and specialist emergency services at the Kemi-based hospital. The state assessment board argues the facility’s current services are oversized for the region’s 60,000 residents.

In March, the council became the first in Finland to reject such a proposal, instead backing an alternative plan drafted by hospital staff. The Ministry of Finance challenged the decision in administrative court, calling it illegal.

Regional councillor Outi Keinänen (Centre Party) criticised the renewed push for cuts as “undermining democracy,” insisting the council’s decision was carefully considered for patient safety and cost savings.

A key dispute centres on how many patients from coastal Lapland would seek care at Oulu University Hospital rather than Rovaniemi Central Hospital. The council estimates higher numbers, increasing costs for the Lapland wellbeing services county.

The council’s March proposal failed to meet the required savings, according to the assessment board. Monday’s meeting in Rovaniemi begins at 10:00 local time; the previous session lasted ten hours.