Tensions high between management and personnel at Helsinki University Central Hospital
Capacity crowd at crisis meeting
|
|
|
A special meeting was held at Biomedicum, the centre for medical research and training of the University of Helsinki, on Thursday. The aim of the meeting was to seek solutions to a crisis that has emerged in the Helsinki University Central Hospital (HUCH), which has caused sharp rifts between the hospital’s staff and administration.
Taking part in the meeting were representatives of hospital personnel, as well as the members of the board of the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS).
The hospital’s medical staff and nurses as well as representatives of the university expressed their concerns in a lecture hall that was filled to overflowing.
Eero Hirvensalo, head physician responsible for orthopaedic surgery, says that serious concerns emerged in May when the first information came about new official titles.
Hirvensalo also presented the results of the survey by the HUCH personnel, which indicated widespread dissatisfaction with HUS CEO Kari Nenonen.
Out of more than 600 respondents, 72 per cent felt that Nenonen and the civil servant managers do not enjoy the confidence of personnel. Only four per cent felt that they were worthy of trust. Forty five per cent of respondents said that they had considered changing jobs over the changes. At least half of the respondents were doctors.
Dean Kimmo Kontula of Helsinki University’s Faculty of Medicine said that he had been observing the situation on the campus with some sadness, adding that he is concerned about the states of mind of top experts. He also accused the management of lacking a feel for the situation, and hoped for the restoration of calm.
Reija Sjöholm, chair of the HUS local organisation of the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (TEHY), said that nurses at the hospital have expressed concern about the management and development of nursing at the hospital, and that the concerns have not been addressed.
CEO Nenonen said that he was surprised, and even shocked by the feedback. He admitted that the gap between the management and the personnel is serious, and he promised to take the assessments of his management style seriously.
He also said that the sincere goal in development work at the hospital has been to secure the best services.
Aatto Prihti, Chairman of the Board of HUS, said that the messages received by the board are clear. Prihti says that the crisis did not come as a surprise, and that the situation is clearly a bad one.
Many members of the board feel that a time-out is needed. Dissemination of information was found lacking between the management of the concern and the Board of Directors.
Ritva Erkama (Nat. Coalition Party), chairwoman of the board governing the HUCH Hospital Area, noted the existence of a clear lack of confidence. She said that the board was also kept in the dark.
CEO Nenonen is to bring proposals on how to deal with the situation to the Monday meeting of the HUS Board.
Reijo Haapainen, head of the operative profit centre, emphasised that treatment of patients was not in danger of suffering from the furore. In his view, the crux of the problem is that the top management and personnel have been “speaking different languages”.
Helsingin Sanomat
|
| 18.9.2008 - TODAY |
 Tensions high between management and personnel at Helsinki University Central Hospital |
|
