Forssmed expects the authority manager Olivia Wigzell to account for how medical competence is handled at the authority.
I have now called the Director-General of the Public Health Agency to a follow-up meeting where I expect the authority to account for how they ensure medical competence in the decisions they make, he says.
He also wants to know what measures the authority takes to maintain confidence in the infection control area, something he sees as very important.
The meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday.
"Better pandemic preparedness today"
The background is that the outgoing state epidemiologist Magnus Gisslén has strongly criticized the Public Health Agency for lacking deeper medical competence in the management team.
He has specifically questioned why the Public Health Agency in February withdrew recommendations for increased testing and treatment with penicillin in case of suspected tonsillitis. This was to reduce the spread of infection and serious infections. The decision was made by a department head in the management team.
Gisslén has also said that he is concerned about the authority's ability to handle a future pandemic that may well prove to be much more serious than the one we have just gone through.
Forssmed, however, is not concerned about Sweden's pandemic preparedness.
My conviction is that it is better than when the pandemic hit Sweden. The Public Health Agency has made a number of changes that mean they are better equipped today.
Has confidence in the Director-General
Gisslén also points out that the Public Health Agency needs to be fundamentally reformed. Forssmed agrees to some extent, but also says that a review from the Swedish Agency for Public Management has shown that the authority would not benefit from being divided into two parts – as it was before.
We have seen a need during this mandate period to make the authority more efficient, less inward-looking, more supportive of other actors in society to achieve greater impact for the work in the infection control area, and parts of that criticism I share.
He also says that he still has confidence in Olivia Wigzell.
She is a skilled Director-General who has long experience of leading an authority with deep expertise and knowledge, namely the National Board of Health and Welfare. But I expect to get a clear account at the meeting on Monday on how they ensure medical competence.
