Insolvency drama in the Geesthacht hospital: Mayor fights for the future!

Insolvency drama in the Geesthacht hospital: Mayor fights for the future!

The Geesthacht hospital is once again facing a serious crisis. On October 28, 2025, the Schwarzenbek District Court ordered insolvency proceedings under self-administration, which is the second insolvency within a year for the institution. After the sale to the CTP group of companies in July 2025, which runs the hospital under the name Vitalcampus Geesthacht, hopes for a positive turnaround had increased. But instead, the clinic has had to accept a monthly deficit of around 600,000 euros since the summer, which seriously jeopardizes plans to stabilize medical care in the region.

The responsibility for operating the hospital lies with the investor Thomas Pötzsch. Mayor Olaf Schulze (SPD) expressed concern about the situation and described the bankruptcy filing as a “bitter blow for the region”. Together with the state and investor, he is looking for solutions to secure the location in the long term. On Wednesday, November 6, 2025, the case will be discussed in the Social Committee of the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament, with state parliament member Andrea Tschacher (CDU) emphasizing the importance of the hospital for the region and demanding viable prospects from the provider. Oliver Brandt from Alliance 90/The Greens announced that he would ask the investor questions about the future of healthcare.

The need for action is strongly felt

The pressure on the clinic is enormous. The previous insolvency in autumn 2024, which also affected the Johanniter Medical Care Center and the Geriatric Clinic, resulted in massive restructuring. Originally it was assumed that there would be a “black zero”, but reality shows a different picture, as several surveys by a management consultancy confirm. Plans to increase performance by 15 percent could not be achieved and planned collaborations failed to materialize.

The insolvency proceedings affect around 700 employees, with up to 250 jobs at risk. The situation is particularly critical for various departments: gynecology, obstetrics and other important areas could be closed until March 31, 2026. This could significantly affect basic medical care in Geesthacht, which Mayor Schulze considers extremely worrying.

Health care under pressure

The events surrounding the Geesthacht hospital are not an isolated case, but represent a general problem within the German healthcare landscape. More and more hospitals are struggling with financial difficulties and have had to file for bankruptcy. This could not only have an impact on the employees and the clinic itself, but also on the patients who rely on reliable medical care.

The pressure is growing, now it is important to consider the next steps and set the course for the future of the Vitalcampus Geesthacht and for the entire region. The upcoming meeting in the state parliament's social committee will be a crucial moment to create perspectives and possibly find a way out of the misery. The citizens of Geesthacht are waiting eagerly to see what happens next.

Further information on the current situation can be found at NDR and HNA.