It is still too great a shortage of hospital beds in the country. A total of 2,230 more beds are needed, according to new figures from the National Board of Health and Welfare.
Last year, the National Board of Health and Welfare calculated a national benchmark for the shortage of hospital beds for the first time. Over the past year, 70 hospital beds have been added, while the number of regions without a shortage of hospital beds has increased from one to three.
"This shows that something can be done about the situation. Together with the regions, we must now ensure that the benchmarks and our support are disseminated and used in daily work," says Mattias Fredricson, department head at the National Board of Health and Welfare, in a press release.
The shortage of hospital beds can have serious consequences for both patient safety and working environment. A national plan submitted to the government proposes that the National Board of Health and Welfare recommends a range of measures that can increase the number of beds in the short term.
