Scandal at University Psychiatric Services in Bern: Board of Directors Resigns Amid 22 Million Franc Loss

Scandal at the University Psychiatric Services in Bern: the entire board of directors and the chairman of the management team take off their hats. The institution made a loss of almost 22 million francs last year.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Psychiatric Services of the University of Bern (UPD) cited, among other things, the tariffs that did not cover costs for a long time as reasons for the loss. The lack of skilled workers and the increase in general costs also affected the institution financially.

In recent years, the UPD has been able to initiate and implement major changes and projects and set the course, the institution writes in its statement. “To further develop the UPD, we now need new ideas, new energy and new leadership.”

The board of directors of the UPD announced on Tuesday that they would not stand for re-election at the general meeting in June. The chairman of the board of directors, Oliver Grossen, also takes his hat off.

The outgoing Chairman of the Board of Directors, Patricia Kellerhals, admitted that there were strategic differences with the canton. But this is not about individuals, said Kellerhals in the regional magazine Bern, Freiburg, Valais from Radio SRF.

It is important to the Board of Directors that stable funding and the maintenance of systematically appropriate offers are achieved. A new team could achieve these goals, especially if there is a relationship of trust with the owner, ie Canton Bern. For this reason, the entire board of directors and the director made way for a new team.

The President pulled out of his sleeve

The Bernese health department said on Tuesday that it had taken into account the decision of the UPD administrative board. According to the recommendation of the Directorate of Health, the Council of Government has already named the future Chairman of the Board of Directors.

It is Christoph Egger, who already worked in the special staff for the corona pandemic and Ukraine for the canton of Bern. Before that, among other things, he was the director of the Beau-Site clinic in Bern.

Not much about the departure of the UPD leadership is clear. Tension is like an elephant in the room between the current board of directors and the health department of government advisor SVP Pierre Alain Schnegg. However, this has not been officially confirmed.

UPD University Psychiatric Services has been experiencing financial difficulties for some time and there is a shortage of specialists. The UPD and the Münsingen psychiatric center, which is not too high financially, are currently considering a merger.

But the canton put on the brakes in February and asked for more detailed information on the future business model and the financial impact. He also brought a consulting firm on board.

At the beginning of the year, the UPD announced cost-cutting measures that met with resistance from workers and the public. Within a week, 6,571 people signed a petition against the cuts in psychiatric care.

The Bern government confirmed that the UPD had decided to withdraw the offers without consulting the canton. At the time, she was also facing allegations that she had rejected a funding request to support the threatened tenders.

Anxiety in politics

Recent developments have caused concern in politics. The center was particularly affected when it came to staff. This now has to live with further turmoil. According to their own statements, the party also sees “an opportunity in a new beginning,” as he wrote in a statement on Tuesday.

The government council accepted her responsibility and made courageous decisions after she had clearly lost trust in the leadership of the institution.

The SP, in turn, doubts the leadership ability of the government council in psychiatric care, as the party wrote in a statement. The current events would explode in the middle of the preparations for the merger.

Staff shortages, outdated infrastructure and a lack of cost coverage in taxes have long been a difficult situation. Against this background, “non-election” by the Chairman of the Board of Directors Patricia Kellerhals looks “like a quick view”. (sda/lyn)