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 Social Security, Annika Strandhäll (S). Two more ministers serve at the Ministry: the Minister for Public Health, Healthcare and Sports Gabriel Wikström (S) and the Minister for Children, the Elderly and Gender Equality Åsa Regnér (S).
The ministry offices are located at Fredsgatan 8 in central Stockholm.
Government agencies and other bodies
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is principal for 17 government agencies, two state-owned companies (one, Systembolaget, operating a monopoly, and another one, Apoteket, operating as a government-owned, non-monopolistic entity) and two institutes.
Swedish National Alcoholic Beverages Product Range Board, 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 Agency for Government Employers (SAGE), or Arbetsgivarverket. (Official site) Employers' organization responsible for central negotiations with trade unions on pay and employment conditions employees in the government sector.
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 Social Insurance Agency, or Försäkringskassan. (Official site) Local administration of social insurance.
Ombudsman for Children in Sweden, or Barnombudsmannen. (Official site) Observes matters affecting the rights and interests of children and young people.
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.
Public Health Agency of Sweden, or Folkhälsomyndigheten. (Official site) The agency has a national responsibility for public health issues, and promote good public health by building and disseminating knowledge, to health care and others responsible for infectious disease control and public health.
Systembolaget. (Official site) National alcohol monopoly.
Health care, health, social issues/insurance
Housing and construction
Religious communities
State administration and public procurement
