The Healthcare Institution of North Iceland (HSN) has decided to merge the healthcare center in Dalvík with the HSN in Fjallabyggð from September 1st , with the aim of strengthening the staffing of healthcare professionals in the area and services to residents.

The main purpose of the merger is to create a stronger entity that facilitates the hiring of professionals. Furthermore, the larger entity increases flexibility in operations with the flow of personnel between the two municipalities. The merger is also intended to support the prerequisites for teamwork which should strengthen cooperation and knowledge sharing among staff.

Experience has shown that larger facilities such as Húsavík and Sauðárkrókur attract more doctors in part because they have a larger group of doctors working together and most people think that it is an advantage. Because of the larger group of doctors it is also easier to take in specialized medical undergraduates and doctors in specialized training in general medicine. At HSN there are currently 14 doctors in specialized training in general medicine but none of them in Fjallabyggð or Dalvík, experience shows that when students come to internship it has a positive impact on future care in that place. The same argument is true for other professions.

“This decision is not made for the sake of rationalization, but we believe that this organisational change will create a stronger entity that can better cope with the challenging business environment in healthcare. We hope that it will make it easier to attract people to work and thus enhance services to residents,” says Jón Helgi Björnsson, CEO of HSN. “There has been great job satisfaction in both Dalvík and Fjallabyggð, so it will be exciting to see these strong entities merge and see what ideas and strengths are born from it, always with the highest level of service in mind.”

HSN in Fjallabyggð operates health care and a non-divided hospital in the same location as there is health care in Ólafsfjörður. Dalvík has a health clinic for Dalvík residents. The combined unit will employ over 80 people in 50 positions, serving over 4150 residents in the whole region. With the merger, one head nurse will be in charge of the unit and one head doctor will be in charge of the combined unit, one divisional manager will be in charge of the combined health care in the region and a divisional manager will continue to be in charge of the nursing and hospital department in Fjallabyggð.

The local population has no need to take any action because of these structural changes.