The Västerbotten region manages the care guarantee worse than in a long time - much due to the corona outbreak.

The latest figures from week 31 show that in total, more than 3,000 people in Västerbotten have now waited more than the care guarantee's 90 days for surgery or treatment. That is 377 more than the corresponding week last year, something that Sweden Radio Västerbotten was the first to tell.

"Will take all fall"

At the orthopedic clinic at Norrland University Hospital in Umeå, only 44 percent of those waiting for a new hip joint have had an operation within the three months of the care guarantee. Before the pandemic outbreak, 86 percent received help in the promised time.

No one currently knows how long it takes to be able to provide care for all hip patients.

- It is a more difficult question, but it is clear it will take the whole autumn. Some believe that it will take more time than that, says Stig-Evert Tornberg, operations manager at the orthopedic clinic.

Only 30 percent received help for prolapse

For women, a common diagnosis, which requires surgery, is prolapse. In November last year, all patients called underwent surgery within three months. In June, goal fulfillment was only 30 percent. For men who need prostate surgery, the curve looks similar.

- This is partly due to the corona, but it is also about a rebuilding of operating theaters in Skellefteå, which does a large part of the benign prostate operations. The redevelopment has meant that there have been significantly fewer operating rooms to play with, says Bengt Friedrich, chief physician at NUS.

Hear Stig-Evert Tornberg, operations manager at the orthopedic clinic about how the care queues are to be solved.