Between 2018 and 2019, complaints about healthcare increased, which are mainly about long waiting times and lack of communication. But so far this year, a decrease is seen. More than 17,000 complaints have been received during the first half of the year, but only 1,100 of them concern the corona pandemic, figures show that SVT Nyheter has read.

Understanding of the care staff's work

One who has previously sent a complaint to the patient board in the Stockholm Region is Camilla Törnetoft, when she considered that she had a wrong operation on her foot. But when her bile surgery was canceled and advanced during the corona pandemic, she did not contact the patient board.

- I actually did not know that you could do it considering that it was corona and you have to be understanding, that doctors are needed for people who feel bad. But I actually would not be able to whine again, she says.

Complaints about healthcare have increased in recent years, but so far this year there has been a decrease. Just over seven percent of the cases during the first half of the year concern the corona pandemic. Photo: SVT Design

Why the cases have decreased during the pandemic is difficult for the patient committees to answer. In Västra Götaland, it is believed that patients and relatives have a greater understanding of the care staff's work, at the same time as they have noticed that the pressure on healthcare has decreased as the focus has been on coronary care. In Västra Götaland, the patient boards have received more than 100 complaints that are in some way corona-related.

Complaints important for healthcare

The complaints come, among other things, from patients who feel that they have been denied care in the event of symptoms of covid-19 or other disease. The views are also about canceled examinations and visits and about lack of information about, for example, sampling.

- What you may not have heard about so much is that now that some care is performed by phone or via video conference instead of physical meetings, not all patients like that solution, says Anne-Kathrin Schneider, section manager at the patient committees' office in Västra Götaland.

For the patient committees, complaints and views are important for healthcare to be improved and developed.

- We are very grateful for all the comments that come in from patients and relatives, says Anne-Kathrin Schneider.