Danish maternity wards to face cuts despite funding

Despite recent financial injections, Danish maternity wards predict significant savings as budgets are insufficient. According to newspaper Information, this information was disclosed in a joint letter from the country’s maternity ward management to the chairman of Danske Regioner, Anders Kühnau, and also to Health Minister Sophie Løhde. The savings are expected to occur even though an additional 475 million kroner was allocated from the 2022 budget to improve these services from 2022 to 2025, after media reported on the stressed condition of maternity wards. Midwives had highlighted extreme workloads preventing even basic breaks. With increasing expenses in other areas, such as subsidy medication, facilities like Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen anticipate a budget overrun of 11 million kroner for 2024, prompting cutbacks that will impact patient care according to a mail from the hospital management to staff.