Citizens lash out at hospital name contest

In 2018, the country’s three hospitals – in Klaksvík, Tvøroyri and Tórshavn – merged into a single administrative unit, forming a basis for a united Faroese hospital system.

In an effort to further unite the hospitals, the health ministry this week launched a contest in which citizens are invited to come up with new names for the hospitals.

The aim is that the new names will somehow symbolise unity among the three hospitals.

Instant backlash

But not everyone is happy with the new initiative. Shortly after the name contest was announced, Klaksvík-based MP Jákup Mikkelsen said this new initiative was nothing more than a veiled attempt at shutting down the country’s small hospitals.

And a new 1,403-member interest group in Suðuroy called "Vernd av Suðuroyar Sjúkrahúsi" (“Protecting Suðuroy’s Hospital”) has now written to the local hospital director asking him to do what he can to cancel the entire renaming initiative.

"No need for change"

The group insists that there is no need to change the hospital names: not only do the existing hospital names unite the local communities perfectly well as they are; any efforts to further unite the hospitals can only be done by the hospital managements and politicians.

The DKK 10,000 prize money and all the other money and energy being put into this new initiative would be much better spent on improving hospital services, the group argues.

Translated by prosa.fo