Sixteen middle managers employed at the National University Hospital of Iceland received letters of termination yesterday, RÚV reports. The terminations stem from the adoption of a new organisational chart intended to improve the hospital’s operations.
Improved service, efficiency
A new organisational chart will come into effect at the National University Hospital on January 1. According to director Runólfur Pálsson, the organisational chart is intended to simplify the hospital’s operations and make them more efficient.
“The main purpose is to get a handle on the hospital’s management and operations, to strengthen our clinical services, and to harmonise other key services,” Runólfur remarked in an interview with RÚV. Over the past months, questions concerning the sustainability of the hospital’s operations have come to the fore.
When asked if these changes would be felt by the public, Runólfur replied: “I hope it’ll translate into a stronger hospital, that we’ll be able to improve our service: improve our emergency services, the flow of patients while also strengthening our surgical department. If we’re successful in this regard, then the public will certainly feel it.”
The hospital’s organisational chart was introduced to the Minister of Health today. The changes imply a decrease in the number of middle managers and increased responsibility among front-line managers. “Six directorial positions will be cut, but there are two positions that are bound by law, namely the directorship of nurses and medicine – but the other six will be cut alongside all of the ten managerial positions,” Runólfur remarked.
As reported by RÚV, the sixteen individuals holding the aforementioned positions received a letter of notice yesterday. Runólfur added that because the organisational chart had yet to be implemented, it remained to be seen whether it would result in increased efficiency.
“These are big changes, and we must be aware that changes to the organisational chart, in themselves, are not enough to improve our output – there are other things that must work out as well,” Runólfur stated. “But the purpose of these changes is to get a better handle on and harmonise our clinical services. In the near future, we will aim to overhaul all of the clinical organisational units in the front line and strengthen its management affording them greater responsibility.”
