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At first glance, it seems very clear. By decision of the regional board on May 26 this year, SEK 500 will be paid in additional compensation for each work shift performed by “employees who provide service or have provided service in units treating hospitalized patients with covid-19, where the employee must wear protective equipment. “
Torsten Hultqvist, a nurse practitioner who worked in pediatric VAT at Drottnings Silvia Children’s Hospital in Gothenburg this spring, was looking forward to compensation. Wearing a full protective suit with a plastic apron, mask, visor and gloves, he had used many long shifts in the hallways with children with covid disease.
– Today you have a little more knowledge about covid, how it is contagious and how to protect yourself. But this spring we stayed there in the middle of the storm, wearing protective clothing, but not knowing what protected us and what was dangerous. They then put on the protective clothing and then went into the wreath room and saved lives, he says.
– Then I felt that here I am with a life threatening infection in front of me and I have been promised compensation, but now we do not get any compensation.
By extra coronapengarna paid with the November salary of the care employees. But Torsten Hultqvist and many others, who like him have worked with protective clothing and with covid-infected patients, will not receive any crown bonuses.
Only staff who worked in units with only hospitalized covid patients receive the region’s salary bonus. In children-iva, children who are seriously ill in covid-19 receive care, but also other young patients and staff, therefore they do not receive bonus.
Photo: Veronika Ljung-Nielsen
What was crystal clear for Torsten Hultqvist is also crystal clear for the Västra Götaland region, which does not give him any bonuses. The region’s interpretation of the regional board decision means that only staff who worked in the departments where exclusively cared for hospitalized covid patients can receive the extra money.
– I don’t think it’s fair treatment from your staff. Especially not if you, like Sahlgrenska, want to be a cutting edge employer who wants to keep your skills, says Torsten Hultqvist.
He is not alone about thinking that parts of the care staff in Västra Götaland are being treated unfairly. The decision on compensation in the crown is made by politicians in the region, without consulting the social partners.
– We think it is a foolish and ill-considered decision because only a few of all those who have worked hard will receive compensation, says Anne Karin Höglund, department director of the care association in Västra Götaland.
If everyone receives it, it is not relevant, because then it is too much money.
In particular, mention emergency rooms and ambulance care. But it’s not just the nurses who work there. Emelie Hultberg is president of the Västra Götaland Medical Association and she does not beat around the bush when she talks about the decisions of regional politicians.
– We’re pissed off.
– We have doctors who have been with full protective equipment in the emergency room or in health centers, because all people with a cold can become infected with covid. None of them receive any compensation. We also have doctors in vat who have gone from covid-vat to regular vat and do not know how much compensation they should have, he says.
Emelie Hultberg also raises the fact that additional compensation is not paid for work shifts that are counted as on-call or emergency.
– So all the work our doctors have done in the evenings and on the weekends, they get nothing extra for it, despite the fact that there are often fewer and heavier staff to work with, she says.
Västra Götaland Region President Johnny Magnusson (M) along with Health and Medical Director Ann Söderström at a press conference on the status of the crown in April.
Photograph: Björn Larsson Rosvall / TT
The president of the regional board, Johnny Magnusson (M), says that the decision was made jointly by group leaders from all parties in the region and that politicians understood that they would receive criticism.
– We have so many employees in the health sector, there are 45,000 and we always have to draw limits. Then there will be situations where some feel dissatisfied and think “why didn’t I get it?” he says and continues:
– We knew very well that we would not get flowers for this decision but that we will be scolded by those who feel that they too should have received.
How did you reason when you made the decision?
– We said that we want to show substantially, and not only with applause and shouts of joy, that we appreciate what is done. Those who are on the front line should be covered and are those who work in protective equipment in intensive care. Then there were a lot of discussions about “I’m an ambulance driver and I really have.”
– Yes, but there are two ways: either you draw a line or all get. If everyone receives it, it is not relevant, because then it is too much money.
Torsten Hultqvist, a nurse in the intensive care unit at Östra Hospital in Gothenburg.
Photo: Veronika Ljung-Nielsen
Torsten Hultqvist himself wrote to Johnny Magnusson to ensure that he was counted among those who would receive the additional compensation. He received an email from the regional base stating that this was the case, but contacted Sahlgrenska’s payroll department, they said he was excluded.
An instruction, or routine, for the payment of covid compensation has been based on the region which, together with the hospitals, has decided which units are covered and which are not.
– Sahlgrenska’s address refers to a letter on the intranet, for which I do not receive any justification. This is where the equation doesn’t go hand in hand, says Torsten Hultqvist.
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