Additional round-the-clock care places

News story | Date: 16/05/2023 | Ministry of Health and Care Services

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To ensure good and safe health and care services for the elderly, the Government proposes to increase the grant limit for round-the-clock care facilities by NOK 2 billion. The Government also proposes to expand the Tørn programme under the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS).

“The percentage of elderly persons will rise significantly in the coming years. Elderly persons who are unable to live at home should feel secure in knowing that the community will provide care for them,” says Ingvild Kjerkol, Minister of Health and Care Services.

“I am therefore pleased that we can facilitate around 1000 new places in care facilities. Before the summer, we will also be presenting a comprehensive reform for the elderly. Our primary goal is to ensure better and more sustainable housing for the elderly.

Will increase the grant limit

In 2023, there has been a growing demand for investment grants for round-the-clock care facilities.

The Government’s proposal to increase the grant limit by another NOK 2 billion for round-the-clock care places will facilitate around 1000 new places.

In accordance with the payment profile for the investment grant, the proposal entails a grant increase of NOK 200 million in 2023.

Will expand the Tørn programme

“The Healthcare Personnel Commission (in Norwegian) has emphasised that there will be fewer healthcare professionals per patient in the future. We must therefore adjust our focus accordingly and work differently,” says Ingvild Kjerkol, Minister of Health and Care Services.

“We must ensure that healthcare professionals are able to use their skills in the best possible way, with the correct division of labour, and we must facilitate a culture of full-time employment. The Tørn programme will help ensure this. We therefore propose to expand this programme and make it a national scheme.

Will contribute to more sustainable services

The Tørn programme is a project involving trials of new work and organisational structures in municipal health and care services.

The intent of this programme is to contribute to more sustainable services by increasing the percentage of full-time staff and healthcare professionals.

“We know that good, secure working conditions are essential for attracting health professionals to our public health and care services. We have therefore also presented our own escalation plan for good, full-time staffing for care services (in Norwegian) which we will now be following up,” says Kjerkol.