The working group, which has examined the status of one of the key objectives of the health policy—to provide the right service in the right place—has submitted its report with findings and recommendations to Minister of Health Alma D. Möller. Gylfi Ólafsson, chair of the working group, along with other representatives, presented the report to the minister in a meeting at the ministry yesterday.

In 2019, the Icelandic Parliament (Alþingi) passed a parliamentary resolution on the Health Policy until 2030. The resolution states that the guiding principle of the policy is to ensure that the general public in Iceland has access to safe and cost-effective healthcare, guaranteeing equal access for all residents. The policy outlines seven key focus areas necessary to achieve its vision. One of these focus areas is ensuring that healthcare users receive the right service in the right place. This entails creating a system that ensures seamless service at the appropriate level of care while maintaining efficiency and fairness in service delivery.

In mid-2023, the Minister of Health appointed a working group to assess the progress made towards achieving this objective. The group was tasked with evaluating whether healthcare users receive the services they need at the appropriate level of care and whether the system provides continuity in service. In the minister’s mandate to the working group, it was noted that since the adoption of the health policy, numerous changes and challenges have emerged, requiring a clear vision and new approaches to problem-solving and service provision.

The health policy outlines 13 strategic objectives that must be met to achieve the goal of delivering the right service in the right place. The role of the working group was to analyze progress made in this regard and propose necessary measures to achieve the desired outcomes. Additionally, the group was tasked with examining how healthcare services are categorized into primary, secondary, and tertiary care, given that the boundaries between these levels are often unclear. It also assessed how this classification can help guide healthcare users through the system, ensuring that primary care serves as the first point of contact.

Main Findings of the Working Group

Overall, the working group concluded that the Icelandic healthcare system is generally strong, the health policy is well-founded, and developments are moving in the right direction. “For the most part, the right service is being provided in the right place. The most significant exception to this is elderly care,” the report states.

The Ministry of Health will now review the working group’s report. Based on this review, further decisions will be made regarding the next steps and subsequent actions.

The working group's report