Health Minister Ingvild Kjerkol said he did not want to speculate about the consequences of the so-called “zero profit committee” for private health operators. He denied that it was a violation of social democratic policies.

In an interview with HealthTalk, NHO CEO Geneo Karita Bekkemellem said that the government’s appointment of the so-called nonprofit committee last week was an ideological and political attack we’ve never experienced before in Norway and an attack on patients and vulnerable user groups. .

Here the Minister of Health answers what consequences he believes of this committee.

– Last week the Government formed a committee – which will look at how commercial players can be removed from various welfare services and present separate zero-profit models for each of those sectors. What are the consequences for healthcare in Norway?

– It’s too early to speculate on that. This is a task that has been set by the Minister of Local Government, it is his responsibility to form a committee which is part of the budget agreement with the SV. What is important to me is that health services, through local health efforts, have as good a deal with the private sector as we do and have done most of the time. The agreement must be long-term and ensure good quality of treatment for patients that is funded by the community.

Similar investigations in Sweden

– Karita Bekkemellem, the newly appointed head of NHO Geneo, called this a violation of social democratic policies over the last 30-40 years where the focus has been on shaping the welfare mix. What’s your comment on that?

– I would not say that the formation of the committee is a violation of social democratic policies. Now they have carried out a similar investigation in Sweden. There were no legislative changes or budgetary actions as a result of the investigation. Then we will see what answers this investigation gives us. However, it is important that when the public sector makes arrangements for privately administered care, the quality of the services provided is good and we believe that resources are used for their intended use, i.e. patients. treatment.