- There were no guidelines, there was no extra support for us to get help to test our staff, there was no extra protective equipment.
What they wanted to achieve was not supported, says Eva Nilsson Bågenholm, chairman of Vårdföretagarna, which organizes companies in the private and idea-driven elderly care.
The report points out that the recommendations and guidelines that came in the beginning of the pandemic were aimed at care in hospitals, the conditions in nursing homes were not taken into account.
"Elderly care is not a healthcare institution"
The care providers are supported by SKR, Sweden's municipalities and regions, which organize the municipal elderly care.
- You need to bear in mind that elderly care is not a health care institution but a part of society, it is not possible to prevent the spread of infection unless you take special measures, says Emma Spak, head of the health and medical care section at SKR.
Johan Carlsson, Director General of the Swedish Public Health Agency, has repeatedly pointed out the problems in elderly care, such as lack of hygiene routines and low-skilled staff, and highlights this as a strong contributing factor to the large spread of infection in nursing homes.
- I do not think it is appropriate for a CEO to draw such quick conclusions and I think it feels unfair to paint a business that wears hard, around the clock, says Eva Nilsson Bågenholm.
FHM's director general rejects the criticism and believes that the authority provides general advice for health and medical care, it is the regions' responsibility to ensure that the advice is adapted to municipal care, where the shortcomings have de facto been significant according to Carlson.
FHM: "Tough to get criticism"
- It is tough to get criticism but it is not possible to get away from the fact that there are major quality deficiencies and it is clear that it affects, says Johan Carlson.
- What we wish is that we had received support instead of pointing out what we are doing wrong, says Eva Nilsson Bågenholm.
The Director General of the National Board of Health and Welfare is more uncertain about the connection and points to studies from, among others, the WHO which show that mortality in nursing homes is a mirror image of the spread of society where Sweden does not stand out.
On the other hand, she thinks that elderly care in general has had poor conditions to prevent the spread of infection and that it needs to be remedied.
- I would, just as Vårdföretagarna points out, want to steer the discussion in that direction instead.
And above all, I want to praise the staff in elderly care, they have also done a very hard job, says Olivia Wigzell, Director General of the National Board of Health and Welfare.