7. Dec 2004 16:21 7. Dec 2004 16:58

Psychiatry Hopes Dashed

The national budget for 2005 rules out any possibility of building the planned 18 500 sq m. Psychiatry Centre for the new hospital project. The required funding of the new hospital is so large that plans for a psychiatric centre must be revised and modified, the government says.

	Regional director Paul Hellandsvik

The conservative government formed an alliance with the right wing Progressive party for the national budget. One of the terms was no additional projects which carried large future costs. Progressive representative John Alvheim, who has repeatedly spoken in favor of the Psychiatry Centre, was bound by this agreement in committee discussions of the budget. A probable parliament majority in favor of the project was nullified by the budget alliance.

- In no way will we give up on our plans, says Regional Health Authority director Paul Hellandsvik. - We still believe that our plans of a Psychiatry Centre belongs in a university hospital, Hellandsvik says, although he adds that the health authority of course will act according to the approved budget. Several politicians have hinted that the matter may come up again during next year's budget negotiations.

Hospital director Roar Arntzen says the task now is to find solutions within the existing framework. Hospital treatment of psychiatric patients now takes place on three locations in Trondheim, one of which was declared unfit for this purpose in the 70-ies.

	Interior garden from the proposed Psychiatry Centre.