Healthcare staff resign after tough summer: "Are so tired"

- We get a lot of signals that there are units, including IVA at Karolinska University Hospital in Solna where the most seriously ill in covid-19 have been cared for, where many choose to resign. It raises concerns that it will be very tough for those who remain if there is a second wave, says Gunilla George, chairman of the Healthcare Association in Stockholm.

She is convinced that the high workload in combination with shortcomings in the work environment may be the reason for the dismissals.

Monica Jonsson, board member of the Healthcare Association's department Östergötland, shares that picture.

- The summer has been tough. 600 of our members here in Östergötland have not received four weeks of continuous holiday, but only three weeks of holiday. They were worn out before and have not received the recovery they need.

Monica Jonsson says that there is a disappointment for the employer, as the region paid relatively low compensation for the employees having to postpone parts of their holiday.

In Östergötland, the compensation has been SEK 8,000 per week moved, which is significantly lower than in Västernorrland, where those who work in covid departments have received SEK 25,000 per week.

In Jönköping and Värnamo, those who work on surgery / iva have not received any compensation at all.

Sinevo Ribeiro, union chairman of the Swedish Medical Association, states that there are some regions that have not complied with either the collective agreement or the holiday law.

- The feeling I get when I talk to our local representatives is that employers have used the pandemic as an excuse to solve the rest of the summer vacation, she says.

Solving summer leave for nurses is something that employers have struggled with for over ten years, and this year the pandemic has put the issue of recovery at the forefront.

- We are worried about high sickness rates and employers have a great responsibility there, says Ribeiro.

- What is happening now is that members are resigning. They're so tired.