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AnnaCarin Dahlgren is the head of public dental care in the Östergötland region, which has been the hardest hit financially.
– It is due to the fact that the Östergötland region was severely affected by covid-19 at an early stage of the pandemic. We had a growing shortage of protective equipment in the region, he says.
Folktandvårdens Until mid-October, revenues in the Östergötland region were just over SEK 55 million lower than in the corresponding period last year, according to AnnaCarin Dahlgren, because for four months they only received emergency patients. Östergötland is the region that has lost most of its income in the form of state funds, according to figures from the Swedish Social Security Agency.
In total in the country, public dental care has lost around SEK 872 million in revenue up to and including mid-October this year, compared to last year.
Most of the 17 regions that responded to Ekot’s survey feel uncertain about the economy going forward. Although more and more patients are returning to public dental care in Östergötland, the situation may change again, says AnnaCarin Dahlgren.
– Now it’s more about how the pandemic will unfold. Cluster outbreaks that mean we have to cut back on business – that’s our big concern.
Five regions operate his public dental care in companies and thus has been able to lay off staff and apply for state aid for redundancy. Four of them have, too, including Folktandvården Skåne, where staff only worked 40 percent this spring. The state compensation ended at around SEK 25 million.
– It has been extremely valuable. Otherwise, the negative deficit would have been even higher. Now we manage to bring it to a level of maybe minus 160 million, so it has been very valuable, says CEO Marika Qvist.
But the majority Therefore, some of the country’s activities have not had this opportunity, since public activities have not been entitled to redundancy benefits. This has been the case, for example, of public dental care in the Uppsala region. The manager there, Gunilla Swanholm, is critical of the fact that public dental care has not received any specific state subsidy for lost revenue.
– I can’t understand the decision that has been made. I think it is very regrettable. When you combine that with the fact that we, who are not companies, and who are the absolute majority nationwide, have not had layoff opportunities, it is a real financial impact for us, he says.
Ekot has applied to be Minister of Social Affairs Lena Hallengren, but does not want to be interviewed. Instead, it says in a written comment that the regions have received large general state subsidies, which it is up to each region to distribute, for example, to dentistry.
