Insufficient Language Skills Endanger Healthcare in Sweden

While the father of an autistic boy warns of everyday problems, a nurse points to an outright healthcare emergency in Sweden, caused by migrant employees who simply do not communicate in Swedish well enough.

English NAGYVILÁG 2025. SZEPTEMBER 9. 16:32

In Sundsvall, a Swedish municipality, a taxi company provides both transfer services and the school bus. But the system is not working well: there are language problems, and once these came to light, the local authority promised action.

In one reported case, the father of a boy with ADHD and autism rang the company to explain how important punctuality is for children who rely on a strict routine, after one transfer arrived late and caused distress for his son. The well-meaning call had the opposite effect: the driver who had been late turned up at the father’s door and scolded him in front of his son.

“They don’t know the language, and that’s why the misunderstanding happened. I’m one hundred per cent sure that’s the cause of the problem,”

the father told state radio

The boy reacted strongly to the incident and no longer wants to travel with the driver.

“I want an apology. This isn’t acceptable,” the father said. At the local council, Maria Cederberg, operations manager for children and education, admitted they were “very concerned” and that “it shouldn’t be like this”. She promised a full investigation.

A report by the Swedish news site Samnytt revealed that problems with bookings began after some parts of the company were moved abroad, meaning staff could not always communicate properly in Swedish. Peter Tjernberg, representing the disability movement in Sundsvall, said cars were often late or failed to show up at all.

Lack of language skills already caused many problems

As V4NA reported back in 2023, around 60 social care institutions in Sweden had to employ “language ombudsmen” because of inadequate staff language skills

In these institutions – many of them nursing homes or care homes for people with disabilities – at least one such language aide was appointed to support migrant healthcare and social workers who could not communicate in Swedish. But many tasks in health and social care require Swedish proficiency. Even everyday conversations with patients and relatives demand at least basic Swedish. Yet, citing staff shortages, authorities have in recent years overlooked the language requirement and filled vacancies with migrants who often lack both Swedish and professional qualifications.

The lack of training has led to shocking cases, such as the one where

a care home resident was left lying in his own excrement.

A report revealed that staff entered the room but, despite being aware of the situation, failed to help the elderly person for several hours.

In another case, at a nursing home in Umea, it emerged that elderly residents were living in fear of migrant employees after requirements for Swedish language skills and qualifications were scrapped.

According to Swedish media, the elderly were terrorised with various methods whenever staff had no patience. One form of punishment was forcing residents to sleep in their own excrement because bedpans or nappies were not changed. These were only the tip of the iceberg: numerous complaints described staff as impatient and irritable, particularly towards those with dementia, unskilled at their jobs, and impossible to communicate with because of their lack of Swedish.

The situation remains unchanged

A seasoned nurse in Helsingborg has recently spoken out about a healthcare crisis. With more than forty years in the profession, she says the working environment has become increasingly fragmented, marked by language problems, segregation and religious conflict.

„We work segregated. Swedes flee from the wards where there are too many migrants,”

she said.

She argued that language differences between colleagues undermine cooperation and, in the worst cases, affect patients. There have been cases where medication was mixed up or given incorrectly because migrant staff did not understand the instructions.

„The lack of language skills is endangering care,”

she said.

The nurse also described how Muslim practices had alarmed patients and relatives. She recalled seeing a member of staff praying during visiting hours, which frightened both staff and patients. “I had to speak up. Religious activities can take place behind closed doors or outside the hospital, not in the corridor,” she said.

She sharply criticised politicians and managers for turning a blind eye. „No one really has any idea of what this actually looks like. Politicians need to start paying attention. Those of us working here don’t want to remain under these conditions. Enough is enough,” she said.

Stealing medicines

Alongside this nurse’s warnings, another disturbing case has been highlighted by the Swedish news site Riks: health and social care authorities in Helsingborg are investigating the systemic theft of strong painkillers.

Head nurse Titti Unosdotter said that capsules belonging to 5–10 patients had been emptied of strong medication and replaced with an unknown powder. The incidents were reported to both the police and the Swedish Medical Association, and the council has since introduced stricter procedures for handling medicines.

Another nurse, who wanted to remain unnamed, blamed poor staffing policies and the lack of clear requirements. She called for the introduction of language requirements and a ban on religious symbols in healthcare.

„We just want to be able to do our jobs and provide proper care for patients. But as things are now, everyone is suffering,”

she said.

English NAGYVILÁG

Címkék:

health care, migration, sweden