Integration project

Last changed: 09 March 2023
Plant growing out of a gray tree stump. Photo.

In this project an inquiry into an organisational integration of SLU’s University Animal Hospital (UDS) with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (VH) is taking place.

On this webpage

  1. FAQ
  2. Latest information
  3. Deliveries and dates
  4. The steering group
  5. The project group
  6. Important documents (in Swedish only) 

FAQ

Here you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the integration project. The content will be updated regularly.

Why is this project taking place?

There are three main reasons: 

  1. The synergies between veterinary care, research and education require strengthening. Currently, UDS and VH have different tasks, which results in conflicting goals. 
  2. Improvements to the work environment are necessary – UDS has recurring problems with sick leave and staff turnover.
  3. Skills provision must be reinforced both in the short and long term. We are currently experiencing difficulties recruiting veterinary surgeons and nurses. 

What is the aim of the project?

To integrate activities at UDS and VH Faculty.  

Why do you believe that integration will be the best solution?

Previous inquiries, projects and interviews have reached the conclusion that UDS should be integrated with VH, as this will bring the organisational prioritisations, management and governance closer to each other. 

How will staff be given information and the chance to provide their feedback and suggestions?

There will be regular emails, meetings and updates to the staff web. Talk to your line manager if you have any questions or feedback. Discussions will also be ongoing with employee organisations and the safety representative.

How will financial losses at UDS be addressed?

During the autumn, the Vice-Chancellor’s Management Group will discuss and propose decisions for managing the historical financial deficit at UDS in future funding allocations. Activities at UDS must be adapted to the needs of the university.  

How is the project being financed?

The project leader and controller are external project costs, financed as part of the expansion project for the veterinary surgeon and veterinary nursing programmes. Financing will come from SLU. No resources will be taken from the government funding allocated for increasing the number of places on the aforementioned programmes.  

How do the organisational changes at UDS go together with the project?

Organisational changes at UDS share many elements with this project, although they are primarily run within the UDS. The vice-chancellor has tasked the acting Head of the University Animal Hospital, Marianne Grauers, with leading the organisational changes to integrate VH with UDS until the end of the year. These changes aim to improve the work environment, focus on financial control and SLU’s needs within education and research. 

Will there be any redundancies?

This question can only be answered once a decision is in place on how the integrated organisation will be structured. Existing staff will be prioritised throughout the process and redundancies will be avoided. 

Will this affect animal owners?

The integration will not affect animal owners. The care offered by UDS will maintain its excellent standard and the out-of-hours emergency service will continue – this is a condition for holding on to accreditation for providing veterinary education.

 

Latest information

Read more about important events and upcoming project activities here.

Recent activities

  • New organisation approved by the vice-chancellor 8 February, with the aim of implementation no later than 1 January 2024.
  • A work group has been put together in order to investigate the needs of IT systems.
  • The integration project is highly affected by the operational changes at UDS and the fact that interim management has been appointed. However, the plan for the integration has not been changed.

Terms of conditions

A group aimed to work with the terms of conditions related to employment has been put together. The team consists of one safety representative and the following persons:

  • Elinora Johansson (KV)
  • Helén Widén (HR)
  • Louise Malm (HR)
  • Marnie Hancke (project group)

Risk and impact assessments

Groups with staff representatives from UDS and VH/KV have done risk and impact assessments separately. The discussions continued in mixed groups and the content has now been compiled. 

The compilation were a part of the supporting documents for the Vice-Chancellor's decision in February. The main risks identified in the process will be elevated to an action/continuity plan.

Safety representatives as well as union representatives were invited to all meetings. The Swedish Work Environment Agency's brochure "Riskbedömning inför ändringar i verksamheten (ADI 575)" were used as support.

Group members from UDS

UDS's staff representatives, in the groups working with risk and impact assessments, are: 

Adminstration

  • Christina Larsson
  • Florentina Harko
  • Madeleine Eilertsen

Ambulatory Clinic

  • Ann Lindhagen
  • Ann-Marie Tunon
  • Frida Österberg
  • Rebecca Lindfors

Diagnostic Imaging

  • Charles Ley
  • Elisabeth Ball
  • Margareta Uhlhorn
  • Marie Bäck

Horse

  • Caroline Grampe
  • Dylan Gorvy
  • Mia Svensson
  • Nellie Gabrielsson
  • Tina Öberg

Clinical Chemistry laboratory

  • Andrine Skullerud
  • Anna Hillström
  • Sara Westin
  • Ulrika Falkenö

Management team

  • Anna Kjerrman
  • Anna Straube
  • Erika Roos
  • Jenny Hedenby
  • Karin Holm  Forsström
  • Li Hedenström
  • Marianne Grauers

Small animals

  • Anna Eidernert Eriksson
  • Britta Liby
  • Emil Olsen
  • Kristoffer Dreimanis
  • Linnea U Andersson
  • Lisa Gustafsson
  • Pernilla Skott
  • Petter Palmius
  • Soña Pavelka Ulfendahl
  • Sophia Alanko

Group members from KV

KV's staff representatives, in the groups working with risk and impact assessments, are: 

Administration

  • Annika Nyström
  • Camilla Kvist
  • Eira Moberg
  • Elinora Johansson
  • Eva Borgert
  • Susanne Pettersson 

Diagnostic Imaging

  • Kerstin Hansson
  • Veronica Näslund

Horses and ruminants

  • Ann-Christin Blomkvist
  • Anna Bergh
  • Anna Jansson
  • Bengt Guss
  • Caroline Fossum
  • Elisabet Ekman
  • Erika Roman
  • Eva Tyden
  • Görel Nyman
  • Ivar Vågsholm
  • Jean-Francois Valarcher
  • Johan Bröjer
  • Johan Lundqvist
  • Katja Höglund
  • Kerstin Hansson
  • Mikael Rosenius
  • Ove Wattle
  • Renee Båge
  • Åsa Lidenvik

Clinical Pathology

  • Emma Strage
  • Inger Lilliehöök

Management team

  • Birgitta Wikmark Carlsson
  • Elinora Johansson
  • Kerstin Hansson
  • Lina Lindström
  • Nils Fall
  • Ylva Sjunnesson

Small animals

  • Anneli Ryden
  • Anna Bergh
  • Bengt Guss
  • Caroline Fossum
  • Elisabet Ekman
  • Eva Axner
  • Eva Tyden
  • Görel Nyman
  • Ivar Vågsholm
  • Jens Häggström
  • Johan Lundqvist
  • Kerstin Hansson
  • Mikael Rosenius
  • Odd Höglund
  • Åsa Lidenvik

 

Deliveries and dates

  • June 2022–January 2024:
    The organisational change tasks related to the work environment, workflow and UDS finance are ongoing, in line with the assignment from the vice-chancellor under the guidance of the acting head of the University Animal Hospital.
  • September–October 2022:
    Risk and impact assessments for the integrated organisation will be conducted together with staff from UDS and VH.
  • October–November 2022:
    Compilation of risk and impact assessments and creating action plans.
  • November–December 2022:
    Create proposals for a new integrated organisation.
  • December 2022:
    Supporting documents for the vice-chancellor’s decision presented.
  • February 2023:
    New organisation approved by the vice-chancellor, with the aim of implementation no later than 1 January 2024.
  • January–December 2023:
    Implementation of approved measures.
  • 1 January 2024:
    Project concludes. 

The steering group

The steering group’s tasks include approving project plans (including budget and schedule) and the project’s deliveries. The members of the steering group are:

  • Maria Knutson Wedel, Vice-Chancellor
  • Rauni Niskanen, Dean VH
  • Marianne Grauers, Acting Head of the University Animal Hospital 
  • Anna-Karin Olofsdotter, Human Resources Director
  • Niklas Nordquist, Acting Head of Division of Planning 
  • Nils Fall, Head of Department of Clinical Sciences

The group also includes a student representative, appointed by Sluss, Karin Kjellander. The project leader and controller will always be co-opted members of the steering group, and additional members can be co-opted if necessary. Meetings will take place at least once per month.

Steering group meetings

  • 26 October 2022 - constitutive meeting
  • 16 November 2022
  • 14 December 2022
  • 13 January 2023
  • 13 February 2023
  • 13 Mars 2023
  • 17 April 2023
  • 17 May 2023
  • 9 June 2023

The project group

The project group consists of project leader, Anders Bjurstam and management support, Marnie Hancke. They will lead and coordinate the implementation of the project directive.

Several groups will be put together to exercise the tasks within the project.

The secretariat: controller and communication support.

Important documents (in Swedish only) 


Contact

Talk to your immediate manager if you have questions or comments. You can also send an email to integration@slu.se.

Information about the project will be provided continuously via email, meetings and here on the staff website.