Many calls to the SOS alarm concern mental illness.
Instead of the police or emergency services going out to the patients, the emergency operator in several regions can now send a psychiatric ambulance.
- We can treat the patients in a different way, while relieving the police and emergency services, says section leader Yngve Torberntsson, who works with the newly started psychiatric ambulance in Linköping.
Progress in the country's regions
Last year, as many as 18 regions received state grants so that psychiatric staff can go to people's homes or look them up on the spot.
- Pretty much all regions in Sweden have started with this now, says Mikael Malm, coordinator at SKR, Sweden's municipalities and regions.
The regions have invested in different solutions.
Psychiatry ambulances have been introduced in the big cities.
- In many regions, with large geographical distances, they invest instead in mobile teams or a collaboration with the ambulance service, says Mikael Malm.
Expanded in the county
Östergötland is one of the regions that received a lot of state funding for this last year.
There is already a mobile team in Vadstena and Motala.
Since autumn 2022, Norrköping and Linköping have psychiatric outpatient clinics.
From the turn of the year, they also cover the neighboring municipalities.
- It is a long way to go to Österbymo, but they must also be able to get help if they need it, says Petri Hooli, attendant at the psychiatric ambulance in Linköping.
Staffing critical hours
The psychiatric ambulance in Linköping is staffed every day of the week, from four in the afternoon until just before two in the morning.
- That's when most alarms about mental illness come in, says Yngve Torberntsson.
SVT Nyheter accompanied the ambulance during a shift - see in the clip above.