Economism has finally hit Sweden’s emergency services. This means that people (some of them in severe pain or even dying) have to argue when they call 112 (our 911) to get an ambulance to come and get them.
Several people have died in their homes, and last week a dispatcher in Borlänge called a help-seeker’s neighbors and asked them to help out. All to avoid the cost of sending an ambulance. Because is there any other explanation to this behavior? Why withhold sending an ambulance if not because management has told you to avoid it when it’s not absolutely necessary? Cost-cutting and savings may be fine in most areas, but when it hits emergency services I hit the ceiling.
Sweden is one of the richest societies the world has ever seen. Can we really not afford to over-staff on ambulances, and emergency helicopters for remote areas? Send an ambulance to get every person that calls to the hospital as soon as possible. If somebody misuses the system, you’ve got the perp right there – just call the police!
I am seriously thinking of how to provide safety for my kids in this bizarre situation when we no longer can rely on getting an ambulance sent when we need one. If it’s the end of the month and Sven needs his bonus, he might try to talk me out of it. While my son bleeds to death.
This is not the Sweden I know!
