A female healthcare assistant employed at a psychiatric facility in Umeå has been dismissed from her position after being caught stealing food intended for patients. The incident occurred during the summer when two of her colleagues observed her removing meal boxes belonging to patients from a refrigerator and placing them into her backpack. Following immediate confrontation, the employee admitted to the act without hesitation.
Region Västerbotten, the regional public authority responsible for healthcare services in the area, confirmed the termination of her employment. In an official statement, the region explained that the employee had 'seriously neglected her duties and severely breached the employer's trust' through her actions. The decision to fire her was made after an internal review of the incident, which concluded that her behavior constituted a grave violation of professional responsibilities.
SVT Nyheter Västerbotten contacted the head of psychiatric services in Umeå for further information regarding the case. However, the manager declined to provide any comment on the matter. The stolen items were specifically designated as patient meals, stored in a shared refrigerator accessible to staff for distribution purposes. The swift admission of guilt by the employee played a role in the internal investigation process. Region Västerbotten emphasized that maintaining trust and ethical conduct is fundamental in healthcare roles, particularly in sensitive settings such as psychiatric care.