The number of nursing home places in Hafnarfjörður increases by 33

Health Minister Svandís Svavarsdóttir has granted the City of Hafnarfjörður permission to increase the number of nursing home places in the municipality by 33 within two years. The number of nursing home places at Sólvangur in Hafnarfjörður will therefore be 93. The Minister presented his decision to the Mayor, Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, in Hafnarfjörður today. The decision is part of a major government initiative on the development of nursing home places, which the Minister for Health presented earlier this year in an action plan for 2023.

A new 60-bed care home, currently under construction at Sólvang in Hafnarfjörður, is scheduled to open around the turn of the year. Representatives of the City of Hafnarfjörður approached the Ministry of Welfare earlier this year, expressing an interest in using the premises of the old nursing home to increase the number of nursing care places. The need for more places was urgent; the increase would strengthen the operational efficiency of the Sólvang nursing home and, although the old building would need refurbishment, this would require far less funding than a new build. Health Minister Svandís Svavarsdóttir has, as previously stated, agreed to the proposal from the people of Hafnarfjörður and secured additional funding for the operation to cover the increase. She says she is extremely pleased with the initiative taken by the people of Hafnarfjörður in this matter: „They came to me with a well-developed idea that can be implemented quickly; it is cost-effective, important and necessary, and it fits well with the government's plan for an initiative in this area,“ says the minister.

A development with a wide-ranging positive impact

Svandís says the drive to build nursing homes nationwide will bring a variety of positive effects. „As I said when I presented the plan to increase the number of nursing home places on a good meeting on the elderly care service held at Höfði last spring, this firstly affects the quality of life of elderly people who are on waiting lists for such places, often in difficult and unsatisfactory conditions. This strengthens the position of Landspítalinn to provide specialised healthcare services, where patient discharges run more smoothly and this creates increased capacity for GP practices and local authorities to better provide services for the elderly, who can certainly remain at home with good support“says Svandís.".

„This decision is tremendously important and positive for us here in Hafnarfjörður. A pressing matter of public interest, which we have been advocating for some time, is now becoming a reality, as is our vision for Sólvangur to become a dynamic centre for the elderly.  We are grateful for this authorisation from the ministry and will continue to enhance and strengthen services for the elderly here in the town,“ said Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor of Hafnarfjörður, today when the Minister of Health announced his decision at the new building at Sólvang.

The Municipality of Hafnarfjörður is the registered owner of the old Sólvangur building, and it has applied for funding for the necessary renovations so that the 33 nursing rooms in question can be operated. The cost estimate for the project amounts to just under 600 million króna. If the Elderly Care Construction Fund approves the municipality's application, the grant from the fund could cover up to 40% of the cost. The plan is to begin refurbishing the building as soon as the new care home is commissioned, around the turn of the year.