Divorce in the making between Henri Serruys and AZ Sint-Jan?

Mayor Bart Tommelein declares Sint-Jan in default. According to him, they close departments in Serruys, move staff and remove material, without consultation.

From 1 November next year, the Ostend hospitals AZ Damiaan and Henri Serruys together form AZ Oostende. But first Serruys and the Bruges AZ Sint-Jan still have to separate, a so-called defusion. And that now threatens to become a battle divorce.

“Robots have been removed without any consultation, staff have been moved, departments have been closed without any consultation. And of course we cannot let that happen. That is why we have sent a notice of default to the members of the board of directors of AZ Sint- Jan to make it clear to them that from now on the divorce between the two hospitals must be arranged in a sensible way,” says Bart Tommelein, mayor of Ostend.

President Pablo Annys of the AZ Sint-Jan reacts surprised, but does not want to do that in front of the camera. According to him, everything is going according to plan.