Lena Hallengren: "Municipalities are responsible for ensuring that employees have the right equipment"

In Sigtuna municipality, for example, there was criticism that the municipalities came in second place.

The focus was on emergency care and regions, and the municipalities were urged not to order the best equipment - it was needed at the hospitals, officials said.

But the Minister of Social Affairs points instead to the municipalities' responsibility. It is about the employer's responsibility, but also the responsibility for having stocks for extraordinary events.

The National Board of Health and Welfare has spoken of a "system error" and the crisis preparedness manager Johanna Sandwall wants to see a tougher regulatory framework that is forcing municipalities to have better emergency preparedness to a greater extent. In Spring, an investigation came up with a sub-report calling for measures in municipalities and regions to secure the supply of medicines and medical supplies.

But Social Minister Lena Hallengren believes that much is already covered by today's legislation.

- It is important to remember that regions and municipalities already have a statutory task to have emergency stocks for extra ordinary events. How they then meet this regulation is up to them.

She thinks many regions and municipalities have taken great responsibility, not least during the acute phase of the pandemic, but she also points out clear deficiencies that were discovered during the crisis.

- It is obvious that there were insufficient stocks of personal protective equipment for health and care professionals, says Lena Hallengren.