Do not operate on patients with bowel cancer.

Local hospitals have been arguing about cancer surgery. Now the patients are sent to Bodø.

The Helse nord board has decided that bowel cancer patients should not have surgery in Helgeland hospitals. They must be sent to Bodø.

If there is danger to life, specialists in Bodø or Tromsø should be consulted before bowel cancer patients are operated on in local hospitals.

Two local hospitals operate today

The Mo i Rana and Sandnessjøen hospitals are subject to the Helgeland Hospital. So far, bowel cancer patients have been operated on at both hospitals.

Aftenposten recently wrote about the high death rates after colon cancer operations at Sandnessjøen hospital in 2016-2018. This led to the Norwegian Board of Health moving earlier this week.

It was first decided to collect the operations of the two hospitals in Mo i Rana. According to Cecilie Daae, executive director of Helse nord, it did not generate calm among patients, families or the population. She says questions were asked about the collaboration between the two professional settings.

Daae believes there will be more peace and predictability for patients by temporarily moving bowel cancer surgery to Bodø and possibly Tromsø University Hospital.

Employees and shop stewards are furious

The fact that all bowel cancer operations are transferred to Bodø came as a surprise to most people. It will take place from October 19.

The decision was made at a board meeting in Helse nord on Thursday. Board chair Cecilie Daae submitted the proposal Wednesday night.

Even before the meeting, there was a riot among the Mo i Rana employees. They call the decision a collective punishment.

In a press release, they write that quality work has become a political game. They accuse Cecilie Daae of increasing the level of conflict at Helgeland Hospital.

This rejects Daae.

– This is not a punishment. It is a measure to ensure predictable and equal health services for patients with bowel cancer. It is part of our responsibility. We must comply with the patient’s right to immediate and necessary medical care, he says.

Requires response from Bent Høie

Rana Township Mayor Geir Waage (AP) demands that Bent Høie get involved.

– We do not trust the direction and advice of Helse nord. The minister must be in the field, he says.

The municipality of Rana will request a meeting with the minister immediately.

The mayor agrees with Mo i Rana employees that Helse nord has carried out a collective punishment. He says this affects Helgeland patients.

Unable to follow board meeting

The meeting, which was to be open, was impossible to follow directly for both the public and the press because Helse nord did not have the technical possibilities to transmit through the Internet. Helse nord management still chose to complete the meeting.

The rapporteur also responds to this.

– This is a violation of due process. The papers didn’t arrive until the night before. The board meeting was held without the public, employees or the media agreeing with what was said.

Cecilie Daae regrets that it was not possible to hear what was said. She says it was an extraordinary board meeting and that management dealt with her in the right way,

– But the problems with streaming were very desperate. We wanted an open board meeting. We showed that there was great interest in this. Most of the board meeting is published later, he says.