In Helsingborg, a proposal to make guide services for visually impaired people free of charge is set to be approved in March, with the service becoming free from April 1. The change follows attention to the situation of Emelie Pålsson, who had previously been denied such services by the municipality. The proposal was raised in the Vård- och omsorgsnämnden by the Social Democrats and later by the Christian Democrats, who gained support from other parties in the committee.
However, the new service will be provided under the Social Services Act (SoL), differing from the previous system under the Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments (LSS). Under LSS, the service was performed by the same person and could be booked long in advance, while under SoL, it will be performed by different people and booked with shorter notice. Emelie Pålsson expressed skepticism, noting that with LSS, she could plan activities like trips to Liseberg and build a friendship with her guide, which she believes will not be possible now.
with LSS, she could plan activities like trips to Liseberg and build a friendship with her guide, which she believes will not be possible now
Anna Quarnström, a lawyer at Synskadades Riksförbund, highlighted that LSS talks about 'good living conditions' while SoL mentions 'reasonable living conditions', which could affect the quality of the service. She and a 2023 investigation by the social board have long argued that the LSS legislation needs to change. Lars Thunberg (KD), chairman of the Vård- och omsorgsnämnden, stated that the committee's wish is for the guide service to be equally good regardless of which law it is provided under.
LSS talks about 'good living conditions' while SoL mentions 'reasonable living conditions', which could affect the quality of the service
the committee's wish is for the guide service to be equally good regardless of which law it is provided under