The board of the Vestfjörður Division of the Icelandic Nurses' Association (VFÍH) strongly objects to the large and ineffective cuts to healthcare institutions announced in the 2011 budget bill.
According to the Health Act, all citizens of the country should have equal rights and equal access to health services, which promote mental, physical and social health.
We, the nurses of the Vestfjörður Department, would like to warn of the serious consequences that the planned cuts will have for the residents of the area who need the services of the Vestfjörður Health Institute.
The social changes that would follow as a result of the cuts announced in the health service will cause people to move out of the area.
At the same time, it is the opinion of the nurses of the Vestfjörður Department that there will be no savings in the end. Therefore, all the costs involved in transporting the patient to Reykjavík or Akureyri and those chosen for their treatment in these places are not expected. We must not forget the households that have to bear the increased costs of seeking health care outside their home area, such as travel costs, subsistence and loss of work.
Therefore, we believe that the proposed cuts and the changes in the field of health will endanger the safety and even the lives of people.
On behalf of the board of the Vestfjörður Division of the Icelandic Nurses Association
Jóhanna Oddsdóttir chairman
Chief: THOUGH