Future of the Friesland clinics: District council will decide on July 2nd!

Future of the Friesland clinics: District council will decide on July 2nd!

On July 2nd, the district council in Horumersiel will make a groundbreaking decision about the future of the Friesland clinics. The discussion revolves around the future of the three clinic locations in Varel, Sande and Wilhelmshaven. In the meantime, there are already some voices from politics who have different opinions on the necessary steps. Bundestag member Siemtje Möller (SPD) is clearly in favor of the long-term operation of hospitals in the Friesland district, while Anne Janssen (CDU) sees the creation of a central clinic as a historic opportunity. On the other hand, Martin Sichert (AfD) expresses concerns and warns of a potential “medical clear-cutting” in the region [nwzonline] reports.

The situation is anything but easy. The Friesland clinics are facing financial difficulties and, according to current reports, the forecast annual deficit is estimated at 25 million euros. If the St. Johannes Hospital in Varel remains in existence until 2030, the deficit could even rise to 45 million euros [kma-online] describes the explosive situation. In its report, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) recommended abandoning the hospital in Varel and bundling the high-performance services in Sande. These recommendations raise questions about the structures and medical care in the district.

Political opinions in detail

How do the individual MPs view the new challenges? Siemtje Möller advocates ensuring medical care during the transition phase to new structures. She emphasizes that the Varel location is particularly important for gynecological and obstetric care. She also warns against hasty closures and calls for sustainable structures to overcome the challenges of the changed legal situation.

Anne Janssen agrees, but sees the role of the district council as important in ensuring optimal care for Friesland and Wilhelmshaven. She calls for immediate discussions to establish a medical care center (MVZ) and sees the opportunity in the creation of a central clinic. She emphasizes that the factors of costs and legal framework conditions must not be ignored.

On the other hand, there is Martin Sichert, who in his argument particularly addresses the overload of emergency rooms and the increasing waiting times. He fears that possible closures of wards and hospitals will endanger medical care. His concerns also focus on the financial risks and the changing demands on care, particularly for the aging population of the East Frisian Peninsula.

Recommendations from the expert opinion landscape

A comprehensive analysis of the situation was also revealed in the recently published report by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor, Health and Equality. Accordingly, a targeted concentration of medical services at efficient locations is urgently needed in order to increase quality and efficiency. The focus is on structured outpatient care in order to significantly change the number of inpatient cases by 2040. These recommendations and the associated challenges will also be discussed in the upcoming discussion in the Ministry of Health [medconweb] highlights.

The district council will be faced with an important decision on July 2nd that could have a lasting impact on health care in the region. All of these different voices must be heard in order to find a viable solution for the Friesland clinics and the population.