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Persons with a residence permit have the same access to health care as any person living in Sweden. Information about health care can be found in different languages on the website www.informationsverige.se. Health care access differs from county to county or region to region.
Persons who are victims of torture and in need of rehabilitation do not always get prompt help and the queue for treatment, which is often lengthy, is on the increase.[1] The county health authorities are the main providers of health care but the Swedish Red Cross also has a number of rehabilitation centres and extensive experience of treating victims of torture.
Currently, a person has the right to a publicly financed interpreter when in contact with the health care.[2] The new Swedish government has proposed that Swedish citizens and persons with a residence permit should pay for an interpreter themselves. Critics point out this risk leading to situations where the health staff cannot fulfil their obligations to give the right health care needed.[3]
[1] Swedish Red Cross, ‘Tillgång till vård för tortyröverlevare’, available in Swedish here.
[2] Patienlagen (2014:821) Chapter 3 Section 6-7.
[3] STRÖM M., ‘Nya sjukvårdsministern: Att ta bort tolkstöd skulle strida mot flera lagar’, 24 October 2022, available in Swedish here.