Ivo investigates several illegal restraining orders



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Several nursing homes are suspected of closing their doors to relatives without the support of the law. More than 30 municipalities now risk paying a fine and a police report, following examination by the Swedish Health and Care Inspectorate (Ivo).

The Swedish Health and Care Inspectorate is investigating various curfews and stops in nursing homes. Stock Photography.Image: Fredrik Sandberg / TT

Only the Swedish Public Health Agency can decide on a nursing home restraining order. Municipalities can, on their own initiative, advise against visits, but if they really close the doors and prohibit visits, they are committing an illegal act that also violates the European Convention on Human Rights according to the Public Health Agency.

– It is, relatively speaking, serious, says Linda Almqvist, General Councilor of Ivo.

– The starting point is that all care and care is based on voluntariness and that no action should be taken against the will of an individual. Business must be built on respect, he continues.

To date, Ivo has launched 30 investigations in municipalities across the country and, if the supervisory authority finds deficiencies, they run the risk of being sanctioned.

– Ivo can impose a fine on the municipality, and I think that is our main tool. Then there is also the opportunity to report the activity to the police, says Linda Almqvist.

So far, three cases have been closed without penalty.

– It has not been possible to prove that there was a restraining order, says the General Councilor.

The rest are still being investigated and in one case, which concerns Ludvika, Ivo has identified deficiencies and is awaiting a response from the municipality next week.

– When the government lifted the ban on national visits, we didn’t have everything in place and therefore we decided to continue the ban for seven days and then move on to recommendations, says Åsa Bergkvist (S), chair of the committee on Ludvika’s care and well-being. .

After that, Ludvika has not had a restraining order on the nursing homes, according to Bergkvist.

– We do not have a restraining order, but we try to have a good dialogue with the family members to make safe visits. It is everyone’s responsibility.

Done

Ban on visits to nursing homes

The government decided on a national restraining order on nursing homes that was enforced between April 1 and October 1, 2020.

On November 21, the restraining order was reinstated, later as a local ban. Formal decisions are made by the Swedish Public Health Agency in consultation with local and regional actors. Temporary local restraining orders apply for three weeks. Currently, 35 municipalities have temporary restraining orders from the Swedish Public Health Agency.

The person in charge of the operation may grant exemptions from the restraining order in certain individual cases, for example in end-of-life care.

Sources: Public Health Agency, Government

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