The Swedish Government is investing SEK 100 million in 2012 to develop care choice systems. As national coordinator, Roger Molin is tasked with stimulating development of the care choice scheme. A key part of the assignment entails looking into how the care choice scheme can be developed in open specialised medical care.

• National assignment to coordinate care choice scheme

This Bill presents proposals to clarify employers' responsibility for sick pay. A period of sick pay shall not begin unless the worker has completely returned to work and worked for at least one day since the employer last paid sick pay for one full period of sick pay. It is proposed that the legislation enter into force on 1 July 2012.

• Clarification of employer responsibility for sick pay

On 19-22 February, Minister for Health and Social Affairs Göran Hägglund led a delegation of Swedish companies and government agencies on a visit to New Delhi. A memorandum of understanding between Sweden and India in the area of health has been in place since 2009.

• Minister for Health and Social Affairs heads health delegation in India

The Swedish Government is taking steps to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Sweden. It has given the Ombudsman for Children in Sweden the task of listening to and collecting opinions directly from two groups of vulnerable children and young people. Moreover, the National Board of Health and Welfare will carry out a survey of which organisations have knowledge in the area of violence against children.

• Systematic efforts to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Sweden

A major project has begun to encourage health care and social services for the most fragile elderly people - in the form of home care, elderly care, primary care and hospital care - to better work together. New ways of concentrating efforts on the elderly to provide better care need to be developed.

• Coordinate care of the most ill elderly people

Each year, there are approximately 3 000 deaths where healthcare injuries have been a contributory factor. During this electoral period, the Government is investing over SEK 2.5 billion in developing patient safety and reducing the number of healthcare injuries.

• The Government invests in patient safety

Sickness absence is decreasing and the sick leave process is increasingly characterised by early and active measures. The sickness insurance reform that the Government implemented during its previous term of office has been of major importance to the reduction in sickness absence. In an international perspective, sickness absence in Sweden is on a par with comparable countries. However, ambitious welfare systems require a certain amount of regular maintenance. Therefore, the Government proposes several improvements in sickness insurance in the Budget Bill for 2012.

• Improvements in sickness insurance for 2012

In December 2011, the Government appointed a national coordinator for efforts to combat homelessness and prevent families with children from being evicted.

• Homelessness coordinator to support municipalities

The Inquiry is to draft proposals and present alternative strategies on how to deal with pension-related age limits. It is also to present proposals for measures concerning the working environment or other areas that could improve the chances of prolonging working life. The background to the Inquiry's remit is an increasing life expectancy and an imminent increase in the number of older people in relation to the number of those actively working.

• Inquiry appointed on pension-related age limits

Swedish welfare policy is celebrating its 100th anniversary during the current mandate period 2010-2014 (the first universal pension system was introduced in 1913). This is being commemorated through a series of forward-looking seminars on current challenges facing welfare.

• Seminar series: Swedish welfare policy celebrates 100th anniversary (2011-2013)