Lohja appeals to Helsinki Administrative Court over maternity ward closure at Lohja Hospital

The city of Lohja is urging the HUS regional healthcare authority to reverse its decision to close the maternity ward at Lohja Hospital. Local municipalities in Western Uusimaa have been discussing how to respond to HUS’s plan, and Lohja has now filed an appeal with the Helsinki Administrative Court. In its appeal, the city demands the decision be annulled and reconsidered, asserting that the ward cannot be closed until after this review.

Lohja’s complaint is based on three main points:

1. **Insufficient Impact Assessment**: According to Lohja, HUS’s decision only considers the average distances for expectant mothers to reach maternity hospitals, without addressing whether Helsinki-area hospitals can accommodate the emergency surgeries and births that would need to be transferred from Lohja. HUS argues that the closure would save several million euros; however, Lohja counters that this amount is negligible compared to HUS’s multi-billion euro budget. The city warns that the closure will significantly increase the demand for emergency services, straining regional healthcare finances. Lohja also notes that the number of births at the hospital exceeds the annual threshold of 1,000, categorizing it as a medium-sized unit in Finland.

2. **Neglect of Participation and Influence Opportunities**: Lohja claims it was not consulted about HUS’s plans and had no means to influence the decision, despite the significant implications for local communities, services, and residents. The city expresses concern over insufficient information regarding HUS’s financial restructuring and service network adjustments.

3. **Violation of Linguistic Rights**: Lohja argues that the closure would undermine the equality of Swedish- and Finnish-speaking populations. Lohja’s maternity hospital has been known for offering services in Swedish, and its closure is likely to affect the ability of Swedish-speaking residents in Western Uusimaa to access maternity care in their language. The city has called for a thorough assessment regarding the fulfillment of linguistic rights.