​Hospitals in the Capital Region of Denmark have submitted proposals to allocate additional funding to reduce waiting times for emergency surgery. The funds were allocated to a pool in the Regional Council’s 2026 budget, totalling DKK 10.2 million this year and DKK 15.3 million in 2027 and 2028.

Regional Council Chairman Lars Gaardhøj (Social Democratic Party) is delighted that funds can be allocated to reduce hospital waiting times.

“With the Healthcare Reform, we are placing a strong emphasis on local healthcare services, which are geared towards municipalities and GPs. However, we must not forget the specialist diagnosis and treatment provided at hospitals. When we have an acute or serious emergency, we need to be able to count on the necessary capacity being in place,” says Lars Gaardhøj.

The Health Committee of the Capital Region of Denmark has recommended to the Executive Committee and the Regional Council that the budget funds be used to strengthen two areas: Emergency gallbladder surgery and broken hips, and the recommendations have been followed.

“We can see that there are challenges in performing emergency gallbladder surgery within the recommended timeframe for carrying out the procedure. Similarly, hospitals are failing to meet the required standards for emergency surgery, particularly when older people fall and break their hips".

"​We know that how quickly patients get to the operating theatre is crucial to their recovery, and indeed their survival, which is why I am delighted that we are able to step up our efforts,” says Christoffer Buster Reinhardt (Conservative People’s Party), Chairman of the Health Committee in the Capital Region of Denmark.

Hospitals may not use the funds for VEW shifts (Voluntary Extra Work) or temporary staff. It must involve a permanent expansion of operating theatres.

Immediate funding for waiting lists

Furthermore, the Regional Council has decided to allocate a further DKK 20 million from unspent funds to reduce waiting lists. These are one-off payments and can be used for both hospital overtime work and private treatment.

The Health Committee must now prioritise the allocation of the DKK 20 million following input from the hospitals.

“Hospitals know where the problems lie and where there is pressure on waiting times. Although waiting times for treatment have generally reduced, which is a tremendous achievement, there are still areas where further efforts are needed. In some cases, we have to refer patients to the private sector so that they can be seen as quickly as possible,” says Christoffer Buster Reinhardt.

Facts – Financial Report

Every quarter, the Capital Region of Denmark produces a financial report outlining the status of its forecasts for the Region’s finances for the entire year. If it appears that funds will remain unspent, the parties behind the budget agreement may decide to prioritise the money for new initiatives.

For the first Financial Report, which was approved by the Regional Executive Committee on 24 March 2026, the following one-off grants were prioritised:

Up to DKK 10 million in salary compensation for probationary appointments of foreign nurses residing in Denmark.

• DKK 1.5 million for the removal of security fencing (dating from the Forensic Psychiatry era) and the installation of new wooden fencing, and up to DKK 1.5 million for the expansion of the playground at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit.
  
  
• DKK 20 million to clear waiting lists at both public and private hospitals.
  
  
• DKK 20 million to establish medication rooms, etc., in connection with health and care places to be taken over from municipalities as of 1 January 2027.