Due to the worrying financial situation at the UMCG, a vacancy freeze will apply from Friday. This stop applies to part of the functions, but does not apply if replacement is necessary. This concerns specialists and positions in support services.
Last month it became clear that the UMCG expects to pay three times as much for gas and electricity compared to last year. The war in Ukraine has also made the materials used in hospitals more expensive.
In addition, less money is coming in. Less regular care is offered that is reimbursed by the hospital. There is also absenteeism due to illness, which means that less care can be offered. This affects the income. The UMCG is in danger of heading for a ‘significant negative result’ this year, estimated at 15 million euros.
Due to the financial problems, measures have already been taken recently to reduce costs. For example, an attempt is made to use materials more often and the thermostat has also been set lower.
The only exception to the vacancy freeze are crucial positions, where there is the possibility to hire a replacement. In addition, it has also been decided not to allow meetings to take place at external locations and to stop offering care initiatives that are financed by the UMCG itself. Finally, only necessary maintenance work is carried out.
The UMCG emphatically points out that the vacancy freeze is not intended for the known scarce positions in the UMCG: ‘We will continue to work together to fill these vacancies in order to be able to offer our patients optimal care.’