“It was extremely important to have the Minister of Health and her colleagues come north yesterday to discuss the situation of the hospital and possible solutions, both in the short and long term. This was a welcome opportunity for SAk’s leadership to review the situation and potential improvement measures. It was encouraging to hear how strongly the Minister of Health emphasizes strengthening Akureyri Hospital, so that it is equipped to provide the services residents need,” says Hildigunnur Svavarsdóttir, CEO of SAk.

“However, there is a great deal of work ahead, both due to the urgent challenges we are facing and because of the need to strengthen health services in our region in the long term. I am convinced that all of us—the executive board, the Minister of Health, the Ministry of Health, members of Parliament, municipal leaders, and our dedicated healthcare staff—will join forces and work together on solutions for the benefit of the population.”

Alma explains that the hospital’s difficulties are not new and that it is long overdue to take action. Short-term measures must be taken to ensure physician staffing in the coming weeks and months. These actions include reviewing the new physicians’ collective agreement, with the aim of using the agreement as effectively as possible to secure staffing. In addition, a plan is being developed in cooperation with Landspítali, and the CEO of SAk has already initiated work to explore how best to meet the need for day-patient and outpatient services. These short-term measures fall under the authority of the CEO and executive board, but the ministry will support them as needed.

Regarding long-term vision and measures, the goal is to develop services at SAk in line with the needs of residents and in coordination with other services provided in the area. It is necessary to strengthen SAk and ensure that it can fulfil its statutory role as a secondary hospital, which is also essential for strengthening the resilience of Icelandic society.

“To achieve this, the hospital’s tasks must be assessed and a future strategy defined, and I will initiate this work in the coming days. I have also decided, in consultation with the CEO, to bring in an external party to assist the CEO in reviewing SAk’s operations, as operations have expanded significantly in recent years, and an additional ISK 1.4 billion is expected to be provided to the hospital’s operating budget next year.”