In January, 88% of patients in Kalmar County who contacted their health center saw medical staff within three days, compared to the national average of 85%, according to official figures. For first visits, the corresponding figure was 83% in Kalmar County versus 68% nationally. In January, 94% of patients to child and adolescent psychiatry received an appointment for a first visit within 30 days, compared to the national average of 43%.
In February, the average wait time for 1177 by phone was 14 minutes, eight minutes shorter than the same month last year. The region's target for answering 1177 calls is within nine minutes; in February, 47% of calls were answered within that time, compared to 27% in February 2025. Region Kalmar län is applying for a dispensation from working time rules for 20 ambulances in the county during June-August.
Since October 1, 2023, new working time rules require 11 hours of uninterrupted rest per 24-hour period. The affected ambulance stations are: Gamleby, Västervik, Vimmerby, Hultsfred, Virserum, Oskarshamn, Högsby, Ålem, Kalmar, Borgholm, Löttorp, Mörbylånga, Nybro, Emmaboda and Torsås. The dispensation request is submitted to the Central Parties' Working Hours Committee for decision.
If we get staff to cover these resources, then we will not park them. We will search as long as we can. But as it looks now and as it was last year and the year before, we have not been able to staff these ambulances.
According to Kuriren, Erika Hubertsdotter described that if staff become available to cover the resources, the ambulances will not be parked, but based on previous years, staffing has not been possible. Multiple reports indicate that the difficulty in finding summer substitutes for ambulance services is behind the decision to park ambulances that are only staffed during the day. Ambulances that reinforce operations during the day will be cancelled during June, July and August across the entire county.
Ambulance services continue to seek staff from staffing companies and by recruiting substitutes from other parts of Sweden and Finland. 4%, according to official figures. The exact number of ambulances that will be parked during summer has not been confirmed, and it is unclear how many staff are needed to fully staff the 20 ambulances.
The current staffing level at the affected stations is unknown, and it remains to be seen whether the dispensation will be granted.