Fewer places at the covid intensive care unit in Helsingborg – now the operating queue will be grazed

At most, around 14 covid patients have been cared for in the intensive care unit at Helsingborg Hospital. This has required that the ward has been strengthened with staff from other wards and hospitals.

But now the number of intensive care places for covid disease will be reduced to a maximum of two. The rest of those patients will be taken to the hospitals in Lund and Malmö according to a new agreement within Region Skåne.

The operating queue must decrease

This frees up large staff groups who have worked with intensive care.

– During the pandemic, we have been forced to cancel non-life-threatening operations and planned activities. Now we can start dealing with those queues, says Håkan Kerrén, head of emergency care at Helsingborg Hospital.

The hospital’s own statistics show that the queues for surgery did not increase significantly during the pandemic. However, patients have to wait longer and longer.

Criticism from the intensive care unit

But there is criticism from a nurse at the intensive care unit who thinks it is far too early to start cutting the number of intensive care units – the pandemic is far from over.

– I share the concern. It is always worrying when we make decisions like this. Are we out too early? or too late? Now we judge that we can make the decision now, says Håkan Kerrén.

Can you then increase the number of places in Helsingborg again if needed?

– Yes, but it would not have been done in a jiffy, says Håkan Kerrén.

In addition, the intensive care unit will now be rebuilt.

Has it influenced the decision?

– Yes, to some extent. But now the hospitals in Lund and Malmö are ready to take greater responsibility, says Håkan Kerrén.