Concerns Raised Ahead of Planned Nursing Home Expansion

2026-03-20 - 12:32

Plans to expand Iceland’s nursing home capacity have been welcomed, but concerns remain over staffing and existing facilities. As reported by RÚV, Inga Sæland announced plans earlier this week to create more than 1,500 new nursing home spaces by 2030, aiming to reduce waiting lists. Proposals also include measures to improve pay in the sector. What's the Story? Government plan to add over 1,500 nursing home spaces in Iceland by 2030 117 patients at Landspítali awaiting nursing home placement; delays affecting hospital capacity Calls from sector representatives for increased staffing and maintenance of existing care spaces Care capacity pressure Inga Sæland and Almar Guðmundsson sign an agreement on nursing homes at Hrafnista Ísafold. Photo: Sverrir H. Geirmundsson. Prime Minister's Office. Sigurjón Norberg Kjærnested, head of the Association of Welfare Service Companies, told RÚV that increasing the number of places must be matched by workforce development. “We definitely need to take action to ensure that we have enough staff and professionals to staff this service,” he told the news agency. Healthcare professionals say pressure is already affecting services. At Landspítali student hospital, prolonged demand has led to capacity challenges, with patients waiting extended periods for appropriate care. “The situation is pretty bad. There were 44 people waiting for a place in the emergency room this morning,” said admissions manager Þórdís Friðsteinsdóttir. Staff report that delays in discharging patients are linked to a lack of available nursing home placements. “People are just in the hallway and everywhere. It’s marked here especially if they’re in the hallway,” Þórdís added. Officials note that maintaining existing nursing home spaces is also critical, alongside planned expansion.