The government parties have not yet reached a consensus on a model for the future of the healthcare system. As the government is soon to present its proposal for a healthcare reform, the Social Democrats are determined that the healthcare system should continue to be led by directly elected officials, as is the case with the current regions. This was emphasized by the Social Democrats’ health spokesperson, Flemming Møller Mortensen, after the Health Structure Commission presented three different models for the future organization of the healthcare system. None of these models maintain the five regions in their current form.
The Social Democrats will approach the negotiations with a focus on having directly elected officials at the helm of the healthcare system, as pointed out by Flemming Møller Mortensen. The commission’s models either propose abolishing the regions and replacing them with 8-10 healthcare and care regions with elected politicians, or completely abolishing them where the Minister of Health takes over the political responsibility, while a central board governs the operations. A third model involves narrower healthcare regions and changes to the political governance. The government parties disagree on the future of the regions. The Moderates want to abolish the regions, while the Social Democrats and the Liberals are in favor of maintaining them. However, none of the parties are committed to a specific model at this time.
Monika Rubin, the Moderate Party’s spokesperson for political and health issues, emphasizes that comprehensive changes are needed due to significant challenges in the healthcare system, especially health inequality both geographically and socially. Rubin points out that general practitioners and specialists are mainly concentrated in larger cities, while many sick citizens, including those with multiple and chronic illnesses, live outside of these cities. Flemming Møller Mortensen agrees that changes are necessary and focuses on promoting equality, proximity, and better coherence in the healthcare system.
Health Minister Sophie Løhde (Liberal Party) has received the comprehensive 660-page report from the Health Structure Commission and highlights that all proposed models have both advantages and disadvantages. The government is not yet committed to any specific model.