Region Syddanmark has confirmed that patients will not move into the new Odense University Hospital, Nyt OUH, in 2027. The Italian total contractor cannot hand over the buildings on schedule.
DR reports that construction of what is to become Denmark’s largest newly built super hospital has fallen so far behind that the timetable is slipping again. The agreement between the total contractor OHPT and Region Syddanmark, which is the client, was for patients to move in during 2027.
According to the region, the contractor cannot complete and hand over the buildings in time. That also leaves too little time to move in equipment and train staff before the hospital can enter operation as agreed.
Regional council chair Bo Libergren of Venstre said in a press release that he is extremely disappointed that the agreed deadline cannot be met. He noted that a long process went into making the previous schedule realistic after an earlier delay. Fyens Stiftstidende reports that he stressed the revised timetable was meant to hold following those earlier problems.
Ekstra Bladet reports that the region says it is too early to say when patients and staff can instead move into the hospital. The same outlet names the contractor as Odense Hospital Project Team Joint Venture I/S, which has informed the region that finishing the remaining work on the current schedule is no longer realistic.
Bankruptcies and a blockade
The construction of Nyt OUH in Odense has been hit by several delays and by subcontractors going bankrupt. In June, Italian and Romanian workers blocked the entrance to the site because their company had not paid their wages.
Libergren said he understands that conditions have been difficult with two large subcontractors going bankrupt. He added that it remains the total contractor’s responsibility to navigate those conditions and deliver the hospital on time. The region will now assess what is possible from here.
According to the region, the first building in the hospital body was not delivered by the agreed deadline of 31 July 2026. It is now established that the remaining buildings will also be heavily delayed.
The region states that the total contractor has asked for more time to finish the work. Among its arguments are change requests from the client, long authority processes and unusual weather conditions. DR asked OHPT for a comment, and press spokesman Christian Lemvigh replied in writing that the company is in good dialogue with the project organization about maintaining progress in the construction.
Region Syddanmark has twice asked the ministry to expand the loan framework for the project. In 2024, the region decided to request 985 million kroner, and in 2025 it followed up with a request for a further roughly 500 million kroner.
