Health and medical care policy

Health and medical care is a central part of welfare provision. The Swedish government has the following objectives of Health and medical care policy: People must be offered good quality health care that is adapted to needs, accessible and effective.

The Government wants to shape health and medical care services around the needs of the patients. Good health and medical care means being able to come into rapid contact with the system, which should be of a high and uniform quality. Improving quality requires better follow-up and the possibility to compare quality, cost and efficiency.

Shortening the health care queues

The Government is using vigorous measures to ensure that the national guarantee of a limited waiting period that was introduced in 2005 runs smoothly. For county councils to benefit from the 'queue billions', they have to show positive results in shortening the health care queues.

Choice of care provider

The Government wants to give the individual the right to choose their care provider by obliging county councils to introduce freedom of choice in primary care. This gives the patient the right to choose a private or public care provider, with the money allocated according to the patient's choice.

One shortcoming in the health care system has been that different care providers, for example hospitals and special housing, have not had access to the same health records for patients. The new Patient Data Act of 1 July 2008 allows the various care sectors access to each others' records in order to give the patient the best care possible.

The pharmacy market

The pharmacy market is being reregulated to allow actors other than Apoteket AB (a state-owned limited liability company with exclusive rights to sell medicinal products) the right to sell medicinal products to the general public. The overall goal is improved accessibility, better service and a better range of products, and lower medicinal product costs, to the benefit of the consumer.

Psychiatric care

Care and support for people with psychiatric disabilities has been neglected for many years. The Government is therefore investing in raising the level of ambition to support municipalities and county councils in their efforts to develop effective psychiatric care and customised support measures for these people. The Government is also taking initiatives in its own areas of responsibility: higher education, research and legislation. Special priority will be given to children and youth, gainful employment for people with psychiatric disabilities, and education and skills development for psychiatric health care and social services staff.

Agencies and other bodies

The following government agencies belong to this policy area: the Medical Responsibility Board (MRB), the Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU), the National Board of Health and Welfare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Board and the Medical Products Agency (MPA). The state-owned National Corporation of Swedish Pharmacies (Apoteket AB) also belongs to the policy area.