Helse Vest plans to centralize ovarian cancer surgery in Bergen

The Helse Vest board has decided to move ovarian cancer surgical operations from Stavanger University Hospital (SUS) to Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen over the long term. The goal is to consolidate approximately 86 annual operations at Haukeland to ensure a robust professional environment and high quality of care.

The transition is not immediate. The board stipulated that the move will only occur once Haukeland can document sufficient competence, quality, and capacity, meeting criteria set by the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO). Until these requirements are met, both Stavanger and Bergen will continue their current surgical volumes, which include roughly 24 operations per year in Stavanger and 62 in Bergen.

While investigation, medication, and follow-up treatments will remain at local health trusts, the decision follows concerns regarding a lack of experienced specialists in Bergen during 2024 and external assessments suggesting the current organizational structure is vulnerable. The decision has raised concerns regarding the potential erosion of the specialized medical environment in Stavanger.