Organisation and resources of the health service
Health and medical care in the Swedish health care system is the shared responsibility of the state, county councils and municipalities. The state is responsible for overall health and medical care policy.
The Health and Medical Services Act regulates the responsibilities of county councils and municipalities in health and medical care. The Act is designed to give county councils and municipalities considerable freedom with regard to how their health services are organised.
County councils
There are 18 county councils in Sweden, with responsibilities that are common to large geographical areas and often requiring considerable resources. Their most important task is health and medical care. County councils are responsible for organising their services so that all citizens have access to adequate care.
Some 71 per cent of county council services are financed by county council taxes. County councils also receive revenue from patient charges and the sale of services. State support is in the form of general central government grants. The state also gives targeted grants to increase access to care and to pharmaceutical benefits. The major portion of county council budgets, 89 per cent, goes to health and medical care and dental care.
Municipalities
Municipalities are responsible for care of the elderly and support and service to those whose medical treatment has been completed and who have been discharged from hospital care. Municipalities are also responsible for housing, employment and support of people with psychiatric disabilities.
Three levels of health and medical care
Health and medical care can be divided into three levels:
- regional health care
- county health care
- primary health care
