This is the Ministry of
Health and Social Affairs
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is responsible for issues concerning the welfare of society.
This involves promoting people’s health, but also making sure that sick people get the treatment that they need. It includes insurance to provide financial security for those who are sick or elderly, or have young chil- dren. Providing care for people with social difficulties, the disabled and
the elderly is also included. The Ministry’s work also includes sport issues, rights of the child, rights for people with disabilities and gender equality.
The budget in the Ministry’s expend- iture area for 2016 amounts to some SEK 305 billion, which corresponds to one third of the central govern- ment budget. The Ministry is also
responsible for the old-age pension system, which currently pays out around SEK 286 billion per year.
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs has some 200 employees, of which approximately 15 are political appointees. It is one of the ten ministries of the Government Offices with responsibility for various policy issues.
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in brief
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs has three ministers: Minister for Health Care, Public Health and Sport Gabriel Wikström, Minister for Children, the Elderly and Gender Equality Åsa Regnér and Minister for Social Security Annika Strandhäll. Annika Strandhäll is also head of the Ministry.
Political leadership
Annika Strandhäll is Minister for Social Security and head of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.
The Ministry has two other ministers:
Minister for Children, the Elderly and Gender Equality Åsa Regnér and Minister for Health Care, Public Health and Sport Gabriel Wikström.
In addition to the ministers, the political leadership includes state secretaries. They are responsible for various policy areas directly under the ministers, and assist the ministers in planning, coordinating and moni- toring the Ministry’s activities.
The ministers and state secretaries have a staff of political advisers who assist them in policy work, providing background material, political assess- ments, planning and media contacts.
Non-political appointees
The Ministry has a Director-General for Administrative Affairs and two Directors-General for Legal Affairs who, like the state secretaries, assist the ministers in managing, planning and coordinating the Ministry’s acti- vities. They ensure that matters at the Ministry are processed in a manner that is legally compliant and consist- ent. The Directors-General for Legal Affairs also ensure that drafts are pre- pared for legislation and other statutes and regulations. These tasks are mana- ged by the Office of the Director- General for Administrative Affairs and the Legal Secretariat.
In addition, there are divisions for specific policy areas and divisions for support and coordination. The policy divisions lay the groundwork for Government decisions. This includes working on government bills, budget
and governance issues concerning government agencies, and develop- ment work in the form of inquiries of their own, serving on other in- quires, etc.
The other divisions deal with support and coordination of cross-divisional issues, EU and international issues, the central government budget and analytical work, agency governance and operational management, rese- arch issues and administrative tasks.
Their work also includes internal finances and human resources issues, and external and internal communi- cation.
Organisation of the Ministry
Communications Division
Social Insurance Division Division for Public Health and
Health Care Division for Families and
Social Services Division for Gender Equality
Division for Coordination and Support
Division for EU and International Affairs
Minister for Children, the Elderly and Gender Equality Åsa Regnér
State Secretaries Political Staff
Minister for Health Care, Public Health and Sport Gabriel Wikström State Secretary Political Staff Legal Secretariat
Office of the Director-General for Administrative Affairs Minister for Social Security
and head of the Ministry Annika Strandhäll State Secretary Political Staff
Parental insurance and allowances to families
The objective of ‘financial family pol- icy’ – parental insurance and allow- ances to families – is to contribute to good financial living standards for all families with children and reduce the differences in economic conditions between households with and with- out children. Financial family policy is also to contribute to gender-equal parenting.
The area is divided into general allow- ances, such as child allowance and adoption allowance, forms of insu- rance such as parental insurance, and means- and needs-tested allowances, such as housing allowances and main- tenance support.
Sickness insurance
The objective of sickness insurance is to ensure that levels of absence from work due to ill health are low and stable over time. This means that sickness absence should not vary more than is attributable to normal seasonal variation. There should be no unjustified regional disparities in sickness absence and the level of sick- ness absence should be in line with
equivalent systems and benefits in the EU and the OECD.
This area includes compensation in the event of sickness or disability, including sickness benefit, rehabilita- tion compensation, sickness compen- sation/activity compensation, disa- bility allowance and occupational injury compensation.
Pensions
The old-age pension system comp- rises the income-based pension and the premium pension. It also includes basic protection for elderly people, comprising a guarantee pension, a housing supplement for pensioners and maintenance support for elderly persons. Moreover, there is compen- sation to surviving dependants, inclu- ding an adjustment pension, a widow’s pension and a special survivor’s pension.
The objective is that people with low income pensions, or none at all, are guaranteed index-linked basic pro- tection. Surviving spouses will be given reasonable financial support to help them adjust following the death of their spouse.
Other objectives are that the old-age pension system will be administered and managed at low cost and in a way that benefits pensioners and pension savers. The information provided will put pension savers in a good position to assess their future pension and the factors that affect it. Women and men are to have greater knowledge of the importance of lifetime earnings for their future pension.
Minister for Social Security Annika Strandhäll Annika Strandhäll is responsible for social insurance, comprising three areas: parental insurance and allow- ances to families, sickness insurance, and pensions.
Ministers and their areas of responsibility
Minister for Social Security Annika Strandhäll
‘ People with secure social insurance and pensions are able to make their own decisions in life. Sickness insur- ance should strike a balance between protection and demands, and pensions should be fair and enough to live on. As a minister in Sweden’s first feminist government, the differences in the conditions for men and women are a natural starting point in my reform efforts.’
The Government is working to modernise parental insurance, which will be better adapted to the diversity of family forms and a changed working life.
The rights of the child
Issues related to the rights of the child are based on the human rights that must be safeguarded for the target group of children up to the age of 18 under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and other inter- national agreements.
The objectives of child rights policy are to ensure that children and young people are treated with respect, can grow up and develop in safety, and be able to be involved and be heard.
Disability
The area of disability is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and includes issues concerning accessibility, living conditions for girls and boys, women and men with disabilities, welfare technology and environmental adap- tation. It also includes grants to dis- ability organisations.
The objective of this area is a society based on diversity, designed to allow people with disabilities of all ages to participate fully in social life and with equal living conditions for girls and boys, women and men with disabilities.
Gender equality
The objective of gender equality policy is that women and men are to have the same power to shape society and their own lives. This means that women and men are to have the same rights and opportunities to be active citizens and to shape the conditions for decision-making.
Women and men must have the same opportunities and conditions as reg- ards education and paid work, which give economic independence throughout life. They must have the same responsibility for housework and have the opportunity to give and receive care on equal terms. Men’s violence against women must stop and women and men, girls and boys, must have the same right and access to physical integrity.
Individual and family care Individual and family care concerns social services’ work on social care for children and young people, sub- stance abuse and dependency care, homelessness, support and assistance for victims of crime, financial assis- tance, and national and international adoptions. The area also includes sup- port to parents in their parenting role.
The objective is to enhance the capacity and opportunities for social inclusion of people in financially and socially vulnerable situations and to strengthen protection for vulnerable children.
Support for people with disabilities
This area includes social services’
support measures for people with disabilities. This can include accom- modation with special services, em- ployment, companion services, relief services and personal assistance.
The objectives are the same as under the ‘Disability’ area.
Elderly care
The objective for elderly care is for elderly people to be able to lead active lives and have influence in society and their own everyday lives. Elderly people should be able to grow old in security and retain their independence and be met with respect. They should have access to good health and social care.
The area includes social services’ care of elderly people. Home-help services, service accommodation and daytime activities are among the services avail- able to elderly people, and the social services in most municipalities also offer home health care.
Minister for Children, the Elderly and Gender Equality Åsa Regnér
Åsa Regnér is responsible for the rights of the child, rights for people with disabilities, and for gender equality. She is also responsible for social care, which consists of three areas:
individual and family care, support for people with disabilities, and elderly care.
Minister for Children, the Elderly and Gender Equality Åsa Regnér
‘As a minister in a feminist government, I want to contrib- ute to the work of developing a modern welfare model.
Rights issues, opportunities for influence and supporting the most vulnerable in society are central. The objective is a clearer gender equality policy and increased participa- tion and accessibility in society. The rights of the child will be strengthened as well as quality, security and presence in elderly care.’
In care of the elderly, security and presence are prioritised by the Government. This is why the Government is investing in increased staffing levels and improved quality in elderly care.
Public health
The objective of public health policy is to create conditions in society so that the entire population can enjoy good health on equal terms. The core of public health work is promoting health and disease prevention.
The area includes issues that concern living habits, such as eating habits and physical activity, as well as struc- tural factors such as economic and social conditions, the physical environ- ment and conditions children grow up in. Protection against communica- ble diseases and other threats to peo- ple’s health is also included in this area.
Furthermore, there are special objec- tives for alcohol, narcotics, doping and tobacco (ANDT), and gambling.
The objectives of alcohol, narcotics, doping and tobacco policy are a society free from narcotics and doping, a re- duction in medical harm caused by alcohol and a reduction in tobacco use. The objective of central and local government measures as regards
gambling addiction is to reduce the harmful effects of excessive gambling.
Health and medical care
This area comprises health and medi- cal care, including psychiatry, as well as medical products and pharmacies, and dental care.
The objective of health and medical care policy is that the population must be offered effective, good-quality health and medical care that is tailored to their needs. This care must be equi- table, gender-equal and accessible.
Sport
A government grant is available in sport aimed at giving girls and boys, women and men opportunities to take part in exercise and sport so as to promote good public health. The objective is also to support a free and independent sports movement and to give girls and boys, women and men positive experiences of sport as enter- tainment.
In addition to the importance of sport in public health, the area covers issues that concern democracy and participation, supporter culture and sports-related crime, match-fixing, doping, international competitive- ness, and research in the area.
Minister for Health Care, Public Health and Sport Ga- briel Wikström
Gabriel Wikström is responsible for public health, health and medical care, and sport issues.
Minister for Health Care, Public Health and Sport Gabriel Wikström
‘ Sweden is one of most prosperous and healthy countries in the world. But there are health disparities between vari- ous groups nonetheless. This is serious, but what is even more troubling is that these disparities are growing. To turn this trend around, the Government has set a goal to eliminate avoidable health inequalities within a generation. This work is a priority that I am delighted to lead.’
The Government is investing SEK 1 billion in health and medical care, aimed at ensuring that the skills and resources in health and medical care are used more effectively.
EU bodies
The Member States of the European Union cooperate within several areas covered by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. Some areas have governing rules in the form of regu- lations and directives. In others, stra- tegies, action plans or programmes define the direction of Member States’
work. They also cooperate to compare themselves with one another to learn from experience and good practice.
The highest decision-making body is the Council of the European Union.
When a prioritised issue for the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is addressed at a Council meeting, the responsible minister participates.
The issues are usually addressed in the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Coun- cil (EPSCO) or the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (EYCS).
The committees concerned within the European Parliament are mainly:
• Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI)
• Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)
• Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)
• Culture and Education (CULT)
• Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM)
Within the European Commission, the following Directorates-General primarily deal with issues covered by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs:
• Health and Food Safety (SANTE)
• Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EMPL)
• Internal Market, Industry, Entre- preneurship and SMEs (GROW)
• Justice and Consumers (JUST)
• Education and Culture (EAC)
International bodies
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs also participates in various bodies of cooperation outside the EU.
These include:
• United Nations (UN)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Council of Europe
• Nordic Council of Ministers
• Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
• International Labour Organisation (ILO)
• Arctic Council (AC)
• Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC)
• Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being (NDPHS)
• Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)
EU and international cooperation
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs participates in
various decision-making and cooperation bodies in the EU
and at international level.
Organisations under the Ministry
The area of activities under the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs includes government agencies responsible for the day-to-day operations of public administration.
The Government determines the objectives, tasks and allocation of resources for the agencies’ activities, but may not become involved in how the agencies apply laws or take decis- ions on specific matters. The Ministry
is also responsible for some state- owned companies and foundations.
The Government has special agree- ments with the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions
(SALAR) in several areas, and cooperates with private and non- governmental organisations.
Government agencies
Alcoholic Beverages Product Range Board (Alkoholsortimentsnämnden) Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (Tandvårds- och läkemedels- förmånsverket, TLV)
Family Law and Parental Support Authority (Myndigheten för famil- jerätt och föräldraskapsstöd, MFoF) Health and Social Care Inspectorate (Inspektionen för vård och omsorg, IVO)
Medical Products Agency (Läke- medelsverket, LV)
Medical Responsibility Board (Hälso- och sjukvårdens ansvars- nämnd, HSAN)
National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen)
National Board of Institutional Care (Statens institutionsstyrelse, SiS) Ombudsman for Children in Sweden (Barnombudsmannen, BO)
Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten)
Swedish Agency for Health and Care Services Analysis (Myndigheten för vård- och omsorgsanalys)
Swedish Council on Health Techno- logy Assessment and Assessment of Social Services (Statens beredning för medicinsk och social utvärdering, SBU)
Swedish Agency for Participation (Myndigheten för delaktighet) Swedish eHealth Agency (E-hälso- myndigheten)
Swedish Inheritance Fund Commis- sion (Arvsfondsdelegationen) Swedish Pensions Agency (Pensions- myndigheten)
Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forsk- ningsrådet för hälsa, arbetsliv och välfärd, FORTE)
Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan)
Swedish Social Insurance Inspector- ate (Inspektionen för socialförsäkring- en, ISF)
State-owned companies Apotek Produktion & Laboratorier AB (APL)
Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly (Systembolaget Aktiebolag)
Foundations
General Practitioners Foundation (Provinsialläkarstiftelsen)
WHO Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring
Production: Gullers Grupp Article: S2016.011 Print: Elanders, July 2016
Photo: Folio bildbyrå (cover), Sören Andersson (p. 2), Mikael Sjöberg (p. 5), Sören Andersson (p. 7), Vilhelm Stokstad (p. 9)
Applicable as of 1 July 2016
More about the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs The English website of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs contains more information about the Govern- ment’s policy and the ministers’ engagements.
Visit
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