News · Healthcare · Published 11 July 2026
Inquiry will examine state responsibility for forensic psychiatric care
The government wants options for full or partial state control of a service now run by Sweden's regions, with findings due in January 2028.
DailySweden Editorial Desk
Updated 17:01 · 3 min read
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Sweden has opened an inquiry into whether the state should take full or partial responsibility for forensic psychiatric care, a specialised service currently managed by the regions. The government announced the inquiry on 9 July and published its formal terms of reference the following day. Investigator Martin Färnsten must report by 10 January 2028.
The task is to analyse and propose how wholly or partly state-run governance could be made possible. The stated objective is more equal, person-centred and cost-effective care of consistently high quality across the country. Starting an inquiry does not itself transfer any hospital, staff or funding to the state; it begins the work of defining options and consequences for a later political decision.
In explaining the decision, the government describes a system facing shortages of beds, high occupancy and difficulties recruiting and retaining qualified staff. It says those pressures affect conditions inside forensic care, can displace other patients and services, and can create risks for public protection. These are the government's reasons for commissioning the review, not new findings produced by the inquiry.
The government wants options for full or partial state control of a service now run by Sweden's regions, with findings due in January 2028.
Forensic psychiatry is a small part of specialist mental-health care but has a distinct legal role. It treats and rehabilitates mainly people with a serious mental disorder whom a court has transferred to forensic psychiatric care as a criminal sanction. Regions are responsible for the care today, while its operation must also account for criminal-law considerations and the need to protect the public.
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The government notes that previous reviews over the past two decades have argued for stronger state financing or direction. The new inquiry is broader in one important respect: it must work through what full or partial state responsibility could look like in practice. That leaves several possible models open rather than committing Sweden to one national takeover in advance.
Patients and staff should therefore not expect an immediate organisational change from this announcement. The next substantive milestone is the inquiry's report in January 2028. Any transfer of responsibility would then require the government and, where legislation or budget decisions are needed, parliament to consider the proposals through the normal decision-making process.
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