Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (Sweden)

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The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (Swedish: Socialdepartementet) is the ministry in the government of Sweden responsible for policies related to social welfare: financial security, social services, medical and health care, health promotion and the rights of children and disabled people.

The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs employs approximately 200 members of staff. About 20 of these are political appointees and 180 non-politically appointed officials. The ministry is headed by the Minister for Health and Social Affairs, currently Göran Hägglund (kd). Two more ministers serve at the Ministry: the Minister for Elderly Care and Public Health, Maria Larsson (kd) and Cristina Husmark Pehrsson (m), Minister for Social Security.

The ministry offices are located at Fredsgatan 8 in central Stockholm.

[edit] Government agencies and other bodies

The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is principle for 17 government agencies, two state-owned companies and two institutes.

Swedish National Alcoholic Beverages Product Rangeboard, or Alkoholsortimentsnämnden. (Official site) Ensures the state retail monopoly functions in a non-discriminatory manner.
Medical Products Agency, or Läkemedelsverket (LV). (Official site) Responsible for regulatory control of pharmaceuticals, related medical products and drug information.
Swedish National Medical Responsibility Board, or Hälso- och sjukvårdens ansvarsnämnd. (Official site) Investigates and rules on cases involving malpractice in the health and medical sector.
Swedish National Pharmaceutical Benefits Board, or Läkemedelsförmånsnämnden. (Official site)
Swedish National Agency for Special Educational Support, or Statens institut för särskilt utbildningsstöd (Sisus). (Official site) Aims to improve educational opportunities for young people and adults with disabilities.
Swedish National Board for Intercountry Adoptions, or Statens nämnd för internationella adoptionsfrågor (NIA). (Official site) Overall responsibility for intercountry adoptions.
Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, or Socialstyrelsen. (Official site). Supervises, plans, coordinates and monitors health, medical and social care services.
Swedish National Board of Institutional Care, or Statens institutionsstyrelse (SiS). (Official site). Responsible for compulsory care of young offenders and young people with drug and alcohol problems at special treatment homes and institutions.
Swedish National Institute for Psychosocial Medicine, or Institutet för psykosocial medicin. (Official site) Investigates and monitors research on psychosocial factors.
Swedish National Institute of Public Health, or Folkhälsoinstitutet. (Official site) Monitors, evaluates and disseminates knowledge about methods in the public health sphere. Carries on supervisory activities within the areas alcohol, drugs and tobacco.
Swedish National Social Insurance Board, or Riksförsäkringsverket (RFV). (Official site) Central administration of the social insurance system.
Swedish Ombudsman for Children, or Barnombudsmannen. (Official site) Observes matters affecting the rights and interests of children and young people.
Swedish Disability Ombudsman, or Handikappombudsmannen. (Official site) Monitors issues relating to the rights and interests of persons with disabilities
Swedish Social Insurance Offices, or Försäkringskassan. Local administration of social insurance.
Swedish Federation of Social Insurance Offices, or Försäkringskasseförbundet (Official site)
Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, or Forskningsrådet för arbetsliv och socialvetenskap. (Official site) Promotes and supports basic and applied research in the fields of working life, social science and public science.
Swedish National Council on Technology Assessment in Health care, or Statens beredning för utvärdering av medicinsk metodik (SBU). (Official site) Appraises the methods used in health care and makes objective assessments of costs, risks and benefits of these methods.
Swedish Handicap Institute, or Hjälpmedelsinstitutet. (Official site) Assistive technology (testing, evaluation, research and development, information and training) and accessibility.
Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, or Smittskyddsinstitutet (SMI). (Official site) Epidemiological surveillance, reference laboratories and diagnostics.

[edit] National monopolies

Apoteket. (Official site) Exclusive right to conduct retail sales of pharmaceuticals.
Systembolaget (the Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly). (Official site) Exclusive right to conduct retail sales of alcoholic beverages.