The company Läkarleasing Sverige AB writes on its website that they are Sweden's largest company in the field of healthcare staffing. Last year, the Västernorrland region hired care staff from the company for a total of SEK 46.8 million and so far this year the sum amounts to just over 39 million. This makes the company one of the largest providers of healthcare personnel to the region.

- We do not want people to make quick money, but we do not know more about this right now, says Sara Hedlund, head of purchasing and e-commerce at the Västernorrland region.

- We take a serious look at the information, says Sara Hedlund, head of purchasing and e-commerce at the Västernorrland region. Photo: Anna Beijron

The suspicions are about loans

It was 2017 that the Eko Crime Authority initiated an investigation of the company. It resulted in a lawsuit against a person who was a leader in Medical Leasing. The suspicions are that the owner must have given himself a million loan of the company's money.

- We look at the information seriously, we want serious suppliers, but we have to wait until we know more, before we know how to act, Sara Hedlund says.

Three agreements with the region

She points out that the company's staff functioned "spotlessly" in the healthcare operations and that the region engaged in a dialogue with the company about the legal process. The company has three agreements with the Västernorrland region, which concerns the occupational groups of general nurses, doctors, nurses, leg. doctors and ST doctors.

- We are not tied to the supplier, but can choose other suppliers at call-off. Thus, there are no promised volumes in the agreements, replies Sara Hedlund.

Meets the requirements

Both the defendant and the prosecutor have appealed the district court's judgment, which thus did not gain legal force. So, at this stage, the legal process does not affect the region's attitude to the company.

- We follow what's going on. Should he be sentenced, of course, we must evaluate what we need to do then. But at present there is nothing for us to go on. There is no legal basis for the supplier to fulfill the requirements we set, says Sara Hedlund.

Denies crime

The principal owner of medical leasing denies the crime and has, among other things, submitted an expert opinion as new evidence before the court hearing. SVT has sought the principal owner and his lawyer who declined to comment on the matter.

The company's Chairman of the Board Roger Jakobsson, in a written comment, emphasizes that the company is not a party to the case and writes on the principal owner:

“The person in question also has no active role in either the company or the board and has not had it in recent years. The event that underpins the target happened almost three years ago and the company has subsequently undertaken a comprehensive reorganization of the finance department and initiated a well-functioning collaboration with an external authorized accounting firm. Our relationships with the regions and other customers are good and our assessment is that a judgment, regardless of outcome, will not affect. "