February 11, 2012
Published: 5 Dec 09 08:50 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23668/20091205/
The waiting time at Sahlgrenska University Hospital’s psychiatric clinic in Gothenburg was so long that a man in his forties who was seeking help gave up and went home, with the assistance of a close relative. Soon after the man left the house and took his own life.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Police in Stockholm are looking to beef up efforts to put the brakes on a “vodka-mobile” that delivers hard liquor to school children in the Swedish capital who place their orders via text message. READ (5 COMMENTS) »
Two days before the premiere of ‘Kontoret’, the Swedish version of The Office, The Local's Oliver Gee chats with the cast about why Sweden needs its own version of a show that's already proved to be a winning concept worldwide. READ (9 COMMENTS) »
The government is hoping to reduce the number of Swedish high school dropouts by offering a shorter course of study for students who "lack the prerequisites" to finish high school, angering opposition politicians. READ (15 COMMENTS) »
A court in South Africa has postponed further the trial of two men accused of killing Swedish honeymooner Anni Dewani in Novermber 2010 as prosecutors await the extradition of her husband from the UK. READ (2 COMMENTS) »
Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt harbours hope that the two Swedish reporters jailed for terror crimes in Ethiopia will be pardoned by the regime. READ »
Four men have been arrested for the “execution style” killing of a 19-year-old man in Malmö in August 2011 in what police believe was a settling of scores among criminal gangs. READ (27 COMMENTS) »
An employee at a high school near Uppsala, in eastern Sweden, has been detained by police on suspicion of rape and sexual harassment of several students, much to the shock of his colleagues. READ (2 COMMENTS) »
A doctor in central Sweden who broke the neck of an infant during a 55 hour long delivery, is being investigated by the National Board of Health and Welfare. READ (14 COMMENTS) »

As diverse as Sweden is, there are a few societal norms that are distinctly Swedish. Understanding a handful of them will hopefully prepare you culturally before you relocate. When you're invited home to a Swede, you better be on time and take your shoes off, writes expat Lola Akinmade-Åkerström. Read more »
Sweden is a country where almost everyone can speak English. So why bother to learn Swedish? Edina Varnagy from Hungary managed with English for a whole year but then found that Swedish could open doors – to a job, a social life and greater understanding. Read more »
"Remember how your kids used to dance around the room to The Gummy Bears and Astid Lindgren? And now, since they started gymnasium, they listen to guitar or electronic music, or reggae, or hip hop, or Sean Banan?? That's not proper music! They are clearly junkies!" READ »
|
|

fin
adjective
Fin means anyhting from sweet to proper. When someone says, Du är så fin it's quite a compliment.
Sweden – Up North, Down to Earth is a book about Sweden today. A country of natural beauty and open space, and a society focused on equality, human rights and sustainability. Meet regular and astonishing Swedes, supercars and indie rock bands, vampires and royalties.
Buy your copy of Sweden – Up North, Down to Earth from Sweden Bookshop
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
538 jobs available
246 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today
Your comments about this article:
The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.
May his soul rest in peace
"Sweden has got the worst medical Arrangement in the world"
LOL
where have you been that has better medical care than Sweden FOR FREE
Anyway, once I went to the psychology clinic, was totally desperate when I arrived and found out some people have been waiting there for 9 hours. Their cases seemed terrible and after 2 hours of waiting I decided to go home. I predicted a case like this could happen any time. Let's face it, they are more interested in their fika break than in being efficient.
EDs/ERs/A&E's see people based on clinical need, not 'first in, first out'. You'll have been triaged (where a nurse or other health professional determines your clinical need) and unfortunately this mean you had to wait.
You can't possibly have a first in/first out system in the ER...
Good examples? Try to wait for an operation here. Try to have a complication during birth giving. Try to sit with a kid in the emergency room.
I saw a kid with a hole in her head and blood all over - sitting for 4 hours in the waiting room. My colleague saw a guy with a cutoff finger sitting for 2 hours in the emergency room line (periodically fainting).
My friends father was waiting for an easy operation for a year and our friend's complicated delivery caused a high-ranked committee to investigate the behavior of the hospital staff and lack of doctors' attention.
LET ME PAY for a better health care!
And FYI - you actually pay for it with your taxes...
In the States I have payed no more than $200 per month for healthcare regardless of how much I make a month. And I have never waited more than 30-40 minutes.
I do agree our system isn't perfect. There is no system that is perfect.
It has always worked out ok for me though.
And I do think it is far cheaper than the system in Sweden. And people don't give up waiting in line to go home and kill themselves.
Such a shame.
You're very wrong. Very. 200 USD per month is a LOT. I know, I am an American living in Sweden. I pay just a little more than that per YEAR for my healthcare here in Sweden. Yes, the lines are long sometimes but not terribly long. If you're an emergent case, you get bumped up. What happened here was a mistake. Let us not forget about the lady who died in an emergency room in the US last year... That was much worse than anything that's happened here. The US Healthcare system is not just "not perfect" its completely broken and useless. You're very wrong.
Bill Sargent
http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html
Please note the pro American model commentors: USA is currently way down the list at 37th position. Sweden 23rd. France still ranked the best in the world.