The number of children waiting for BUP treatment or assessment has increased from 924 to 1,183 since the current coalition took office, according to multiple reports. Fredrik Sjöstrand (M), chairman of the health and medical care committee, told Norrköpings Tidningar that he would not have done anything differently in hindsight, implying the actions taken were appropriate. The queue situation has drawn sharp criticism from within the healthcare system, with staff describing a deteriorating work environment and insufficient resources to meet the growing demand.
Elin Fredriksson, a BUP employee with 13 years of experience, is strongly critical of how the queues have been handled. According to SVT Nyheter, she described that the BUP team in Östergötland has 11 fewer staff than a year ago and one entire team has been removed. A layoff notice for 900 employees was issued in early 2024, resulting in 235 actual redundancies, according to multiple reports.
I would not have done anything differently in hindsight.
Fredriksson told SVT Nyheter that she often has to write in patient journals that deterioration does not lead to higher priority, and that many children receive care far too late and deteriorate while waiting. The staff reductions have exacerbated the challenges, with the remaining personnel struggling to cope with the increased workload. A one-time investment of 100 million SEK is intended to shorten healthcare queues in the region, but so far none of it has been allocated to BUP, according to multiple reports.
The Center Party wants all 100 million SEK to go to BUP and 'En väg in', according to Kerstin Sjöberg (Center Party), who told Norrköpings Tidningar that it is not acceptable for children to be put on hold for this long. The ruling parties (M, KD, L with support from SD) have previously allocated an extra 12 million SEK for neuropsychiatric assessments for young people, according to multiple reports. The opposition argues that the ruling coalition has not done enough, as queues have increased under their leadership, while Sjöstrand maintains that he would not have done anything differently.
Give everything to BUP and 'En väg in', that is the first line. It is not okay to be put on hold for this long. It is not acceptable.
The debate continues over whether the current measures are sufficient to address the crisis in child and adolescent psychiatry.