This shows the project Smart Collaboration Småland Southeast, where the Social Insurance Agency together with the Work Environment Authority, the Kalmar Region, the Kronoberg Region and the municipalities Ljungby, Torsås and Vimmerby work to reduce the number of sick leave and prevent mental ill health.

- We have seen that there has been more part-time sick leave rather than being fully sick and that is positive. Then you remain in your workplace while the rehabilitation is taking place, says Hanna Petersson, head of the Sländan health center.

The 4 Ess project is owned by Försäkringskassan and lasted between 2016-2019. It has been part-financed by a grant from the EU, which accounted for 53 percent of the project's expenditure. What is different about the project is that the employer, patient, health care center and the insurance fund met early in the sick leave process.

- The core of the project is that we have fixed times for reconciliation meetings every week. We have a special conversation template that is focused on employers leading and running the meeting. We also have consent that the patient must sign so that we can give each other enough information about health, ”says Kerstin Petersson, project manager for 4 Ess at Försäkringskassan.

The project continues

Despite the end of the EU grant, the various partners have chosen to continue with the project.

- We have been told by project participants that they feel that there is a common plan and that all of us who collaborate are behind it. It has also been so positive that we continue the collaboration for another year, ”says Hanna Petersson, head of the Sländan health center.