One of the solutions that the Norrbotten Region has used previously when it has been bad with staff during the summer is extra compensation if the staff chooses to move their holiday, to postpone parental leave and above all take so-called extra contract shifts.
In the open letter that was published just over two weeks ago, the staff stated that they did not intend to take on any extra contract shifts without significantly higher compensation.
Now the Norrbotten Region counters by letting the staff go on a 12.5-hour shift.
- Now, two days before the first group of us go on holiday, we received this message.
I can say that there is no good mood in the staff group right now, says Caroline Ärlebrand.
According to her, the region has justified the decision by saying that otherwise it would not have been possible for the staff to take a summer holiday.
12.5-hour shift with halved staff
The changes ahead of the summer mean that the emergency room will go down to half the staff and that each shift will be scheduled for 12.5 hours.
- It does not immediately feel like we have a choice.
We have to adapt to the situation, but it is not with this kind of personnel policy that you keep your staff, says emergency nurse Caroline Ärlebrand.
"This is a must"
Jonas Thörnqvist, division manager for county health care 1 and responsible for the emergency operations, tells SVT that he has not been involved in the discussions but that they had no alternative.
- Fewer people have to take longer sessions for us to get the business together at all, he says.
Is this a compulsion or a choice?
- We have to do this to get the schedule together.
I have not been in the talks, but this is a must for us to get the business together.