2023-11-292023/24:SoU3 · p.2SoUHealth & social services
Future design of legislation
Future regulation of welfare technology in elderly care
What's at stake: The decision affects how quickly clear rules are put in place for digital technology in more parts of social services, and how much uncertainty remains in the meantime for both care recipients and municipalities outside home care and special housing.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the government's bill on welfare technology in elderly care is sufficient as it stands, or whether the legislation should already now be further developed and broadened to cover more services than home care and special housing.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee shares the government's assessment that the Social Services Act's principles of self-determination and integrity should apply to digital technology as well, that someone who has consented can always change their mind, and that an explicit consent requirement would create uncertainty for other forms of assistance. The committee welcomes that a special investigator has already been tasked with drawing up proposals for regulating welfare technology for more services, and finds that current requirements for security analysis are sufficient. The committee therefore rejects the motions calling for broader or faster legislation.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (S)
The reservation (S) considers the government's proposal good but insufficient, since it fails to address several conflicts of interest that municipalities face when introducing digital technology. The reservation finds it particularly notable that the bill is limited to home care and special housing for older people, leaving uncertainty in place for all other services. It calls for the government, following the already-commissioned inquiry on welfare technology under the Social Services Act and the LSS, to return to parliament with broader proposals.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by S.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Abstain 0/0/20/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| S | No | No 0/93/0/14 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/15/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Parliament rejects the motions 2023/24:15 by Karin Rågsjö et al. (V) motion 2, 2023/24:28 by Fredrik Lundh Sammeli et al. (S) motions 1 and 2 and 2023/24:36 by Ulrika Westerlund et al. (MP) motions 2 and 4.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:15 av Karin Rågsjö m.fl. (V) yrkande 2, 2023/24:28 av Fredrik Lundh Sammeli m.fl. (S) yrkandena 1 och 2 samt 2023/24:36 av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 2 och 4.
Riksdag decision: The possibility to use digital technology in home care services or in special housing forms for the elderly shall be clarified. The aim is among other things to counteract the uncertainty that exists in the municipalities and to stimulate the use of welfare technology. There will also be new provisions that apply to the processing of personal data when using digital technology with functions that entail monitoring, sensing or positioning. Only the personal data that is necessary to achieve the purpose of using the technology may be processed. The collected personal data must not be stored for longer than what is necessary. The person who has been granted a service that is implemented using digital technology shall also consent to the processing of personal data. Certain provisions regarding conditions for authorization and access control are also introduced. The Parliament approved the government's proposal. The new rules come into force on March 1, 2024.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to give municipalities the ability to choose digital solutions for elderly care and expand legislation to cover more types of services. (S) — Reservation 1
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan states that dependency on care must not, as today, limit people's ability to control their own lives and that care must be provided according to need regardless of living arrangement, and that the Social Services Act shall be interpreted extensively.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that dependency on care must not, as today, limit people's ability to control their own lives and that care must be provided according to need regardless of living arrangement, and that the Social Services Act shall be interpreted extensively. Requiring broader proposals that cover more services than home care and care homes, so that uncertainty about digital technology does not remain for others, follows from this. The plan also speaks to the committee's reasons about self-determination.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att beroendet av omsorg inte får begränsa möjligheten att styra över sitt eget liv och att vård och omsorg ska ges efter behov oavsett boendeform, samt att socialtjänstlagen ska tolkas extensivt. Att kräva bredare förslag som täcker fler insatser än hemtjänst och äldreboenden, så att osäkerheten kring digital teknik inte kvarstår för övriga, följer av detta. Planen talar också till utskottets skäl om självbestämmande.
- self-determination in caredecisive»Att du är beroende av omsorg ska inte, som idag, begränsa dina möjligheter att styra över ditt liv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That you are dependent on care shall not, as today, limit your ability to control your own life.”
- care according to need regardless of living arrangement»Vård och omsorg måste ges efter behov oavsett om du bor på ett särskilt boende eller har insatser av hemtjänsten.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Care and support must be provided according to need regardless of whether you live in a special home or receive home care services.”
- extensive interpretation of the Social Services Act»Socialtjänstlagen ska tolkas extensivt.« (party programme ↗)“The Social Services Act shall be interpreted extensively.”
- right to participation»Alla människor ska ha rätten att vara delaktiga i samhället, bli bemötta« (party programme ↗)“All people shall have the right to be part of society, be treated”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants a new elderly care act that ensures equally good care throughout the country and more individually designed measures, while society has an absolute duty to protect the individual's integrity.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants a new elderly care act that ensures equally good care throughout the country and more individually designed measures, while society has an absolute duty to protect the individual's integrity. A regulation of welfare technology that stops at home care and special housing leaves other measures in uncertainty, which speaks for the counter-proposal's demand for broader proposals. The committee's reasons regarding ongoing investigation and the design of consent are not addressed by the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill ha en ny äldreomsorgslag som säkerställer lika bra omsorg i hela landet och mer individuellt utformade insatser, samtidigt som samhället har en absolut skyldighet att skydda den enskildes integritet. En reglering av välfärdsteknik som stannar vid hemtjänst och särskilda boenden lämnar övriga insatser i osäkerhet, vilket talar för motförslagets krav på bredare förslag. Utskottets skäl om pågående utredning och samtyckets utformning berörs inte av planen.
- equal care throughout the countrydecisive»Vi vill ha en ny äldreomsorgslag som säkerställer att alla får en lika bra omsorg i hela landet och tillgång till sjuksköterskor dygnet runt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want a new elderly care act that ensures everyone receives equally good care throughout the country and access to nurses around the clock.”
- protection of personal integrity»Det är samhällets absoluta skyldighet att skydda friheten och den personliga integriteten« (party programme ↗)“It is society's absolute duty to protect freedom and personal integrity”
- individually designed measures»Vi vill se mer individuellt utformade insatser för att skapa jobb eller utbildning för personer med funktionsnedsättningar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to see more individually designed measures to create jobs or education for people with disabilities.”
- equal participation»Vi socialdemokrater vill att alla ska ha lika förutsättningar och lika möjlighet till delaktighet« (party programme ↗)“We Social Democrats want everyone to have equal opportunities and equal possibility to participate”
The plan embraces digital services in healthcare but makes autonomy, participation and the right to privacy into basic conditions for how they are introduced.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan embraces digital services in healthcare but makes autonomy, participation and the right to privacy into basic conditions for how they are introduced. That a regulation covers only home care and special housing leaves uncertainty about precisely these rights for other services, which the counter-proposal wishes to address with broader proposals. The plan therefore supports the demand in substance, without commenting on the legislation's scope.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bejakar digitala tjänster i vården men gör självbestämmande, delaktighet och rätten till integritet till grundvillkor för hur de införs. Att en reglering bara omfattar hemtjänst och särskilda boenden lämnar kvar osäkerhet om just dessa rättigheter för andra insatser, vilket motförslaget vill åtgärda med bredare förslag. Planen stöder därför kravet i sak, utan att uttala sig om lagstiftningens avgränsning.
- autonomy and participationdecisive»Patientens självbestämmande och delaktighet är en« (party programme ↗)“Patient autonomy and participation is an”
- elderly autonomy»Ett rikt liv kännetecknas av självbestämmande,« (party programme ↗)“A rich life is characterised by autonomy,”
- develop digital services»Digitala tjänster inom vården ska utvecklas.« (party programme ↗)“Digital services within healthcare shall be developed.”
- right to privacy»Vi vill värna människors rätt till integritet och« (party programme ↗)“We wish to protect people's right to privacy and”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants digital tools to be used in care and support to free up time, but only tools that are useful and requested by staff, and it states that individuals shall have influence over their own lives also in welfare services.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants digital tools to be used in care and support to free up time, but only tools that are useful and requested by staff, and it states that individuals shall have influence over their own lives also in welfare services. Leaving the legal situation unclear for all services except home care and care homes works against both self-determination and privacy protection. The plan therefore supports the requirement for broader proposals.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att digitala verktyg används i vård och omsorg för att frigöra tid, men bara verktyg som är användbara och efterfrågade av medarbetarna, och den slår fast att den enskilde ska ha inflytande över sitt eget liv även i välfärdstjänster. Att lämna rättsläget oklart för alla insatser utom hemtjänst och äldreboende motverkar både självbestämmande och integritetsskydd. Planen stöder därför kravet på bredare förslag.
- self-determination in welfaredecisive»Alla ska ha inflytande över sina egna liv också när det gäller välfärdstjänster.« (party programme ↗)“Everyone shall have influence over their own lives also when it comes to welfare services.”
- personal privacy»Respekten för den enskildes personliga integritet är en grundsten i varje demokrati.« (party programme ↗)“Respect for individuals' personal privacy is a cornerstone of every democracy.”
- purposeful digitalization»Den administrativa bördan inom vården måste minska, bland annat med hjälp av digitala verktyg som är användbara och efterfrågade av medarbetarna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The administrative burden in care must decrease, among other things through digital tools that are useful and requested by staff.”
- freedom of choice and close care»Vi vill försvara valfriheten inom vård och omsorg och bedriva verksamheten nära vårdtagarna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to defend freedom of choice in care and support and conduct activities close to service users.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan embraces digitalization and at the same time requires that the individual has power over their everyday life and that freedom of choice is guaranteed even for means-tested services.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan embraces digitalization and at the same time requires that the individual has power over their everyday life and that freedom of choice is guaranteed even for means-tested services. Regulating welfare technology only for home care and special housing for the elderly then leaves precisely those services where self-determination is most vulnerable without clear rules. The plan's requirement for equivalent conditions regardless of service therefore speaks for broader proposals.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bejakar digitaliseringen och kräver samtidigt att den enskilde har makt över sin vardag och att valfrihet garanteras även för behovsprövade insatser. Att reglera välfärdsteknik enbart för hemtjänst och särskilda boenden för äldre lämnar då just de insatser där självbestämmandet är mest utsatt utan tydliga regler. Planens krav på likvärdiga villkor oavsett insats talar därför för bredare förslag.
- power over one's own everyday lifedecisive»Den enskilde ska ha makt över sin vardag.« (party programme ↗)“The individual shall have power over their everyday life.”
- freedom of choice in means-tested services»Valfrihet ska garanteras även för behovsprövade insatser.« (party programme ↗)“Freedom of choice shall be guaranteed even for means-tested services.”
- self-determination regardless of service»Självbestämmande och valfrihet är lika viktigt för alla« (party programme ↗)“Self-determination and freedom of choice are equally important for all”
- embrace digitalization»Digitaliseringen innebär fantastiska möjligheter för den enskilda individen« (party programme ↗)“Digitalization brings fantastic opportunities for the individual person”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that support, care and welfare are designed according to individual needs and permeated by respect for integrity and self-determination, which cannot be limited to home care and care homes but must apply to other social support services.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that support, care and welfare are designed according to individual needs and permeated by respect for integrity and self-determination, which cannot be limited to home care and care homes but must apply to other social support services. Digital aids are, according to the election manifesto, a tool in care, and this requires regulation that covers more services. Broader proposals following the investigation are therefore in line with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att stöd, vård och omsorg utformas efter den enskildes behov och genomsyras av respekt för integritet och självbestämmande, vilket inte kan begränsas till hemtjänst och äldreboende utan måste gälla övriga biståndsinsatser. Digitala hjälpmedel är enligt valmanifestet ett verktyg i omsorgen, och då behövs reglering som täcker fler insatser. Bredare förslag efter utredningen ligger därför i linje med planen.
- individual needs drivedecisive»Individuella behov ska vara utgångspunkten för« (party programme ↗)“Individual needs must be the starting point for”
- integrity and self-determination»genomsyras av respekt för den enskildes integritet och« (party programme ↗)“permeated by respect for the individual's integrity and”
- digital aids in care»Bryt äldres ofrivilliga ensamhet och isolering genom äldresamtal i alla kommuner, gemenskapsfrämjande insatser i omsorgen samt digitala hjälpmedel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Break elderly people's involuntary loneliness and isolation through elder conversations in all municipalities, community-promoting interventions in care as well as digital aids.”
- self-determination with functional impairment»SJÄLVBESTÄMMANDE VID FUNKTIONSNEDSÄTTNING« (2022 manifesto ↗)“SELF-DETERMINATION WITH FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENT”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan assumes that healthcare and social services face a technology-driven transformation requiring greater choice, diversity and innovation capacity, and wants to use digital tools to improve healthcare.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan assumes that healthcare and social services face a technology-driven transformation requiring greater choice, diversity and innovation capacity, and wants to use digital tools to improve healthcare. Removing ambiguities also for services outside home care and special housing aligns with this, while the plan's requirements for personal integrity and self-determination must be maintained. The counter-proposal's requirement for a broader proposal is therefore supported, albeit derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen utgår från att vård och omsorg står inför en teknikdriven omvandling som kräver mer valfrihet, mångfald och innovationsförmåga, och vill använda digitala verktyg för att förbättra vården. Att undanröja oklarheter också för insatser utanför hemtjänst och särskilt boende ligger i linje med det, samtidigt som planens krav på personlig integritet och självbestämmande måste hållas. Motförslagets krav på bredare förslag stöds därför, om än härlett.
- innovation in welfaredecisive»mer valfrihet, mångfald och innovationsförmåga« (party programme ↗)“greater choice, diversity and innovation capacity”
- digital tools in healthcare»Förbättra möjligheterna att ställa tidigare diagnoser, bland annat med hjälp av digitala beslutsstöd och strukturerade arbetssätt med till exempel riskprofilering« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Improve opportunities for earlier diagnosis, including through digital decision support and structured working methods with, for example, risk profiling”
- strengthened elderly care»Den medicinska kompetensen och kontinuiteten måste stärkas inom äldreomsorgen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Medical expertise and continuity must be strengthened in elderly care.”
- integrity and self-determination»Den personliga integriteten ska värnas, såväl från intrång« (party programme ↗)“Personal integrity shall be protected, both from intrusion”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The counter-proposal wants broader proposals to be presented so that uncertainty about digital technology does not persist for other initiatives than home care and care facilities.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants broader proposals to be presented so that uncertainty about digital technology does not persist for other initiatives than home care and care facilities. The plan explicitly invests in keyless home care and digitalization for increased safety and points out that the state should enable such technology in municipalities. Broader and clearer regulation therefore lies in line with the plan's will to get the technology in place broadly, while at the same time the individual's wishes are respected.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill att bredare förslag läggs fram så att osäkerheten kring digital teknik inte kvarstår för andra insatser än hemtjänst och äldreboende. Planen satsar uttryckligen på nyckelfri hemtjänst och digitalisering för ökad trygghet och pekar på att staten bör möjliggöra sådan teknik i kommunerna. En bredare och tydligare reglering ligger därmed i linje med planens vilja att få tekniken på plats brett, samtidigt som den enskildes önskemål respekteras.
- digitalization in caredecisive»Satsa på nyckelfri hemtjänst och digitalisering för ökad trygghet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Invest in keyless home care and digitalization for increased safety.”
- state enablement for municipalities»För att säkerställa äldre människors trygghet bör staten möjliggöra för kommuner att snarast installera någon form av nyckelfria lås.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To ensure elderly people's safety, the state should enable municipalities to quickly install some form of keyless lock.”
- technology provides safety and security»Digitala nycklar medför en enkel hantering för personalen, hög säkerhet och ökad trygghet för brukaren då vanliga låsnycklar ej kan komma i oönskad cirkulation.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Digital keys entail easy handling for staff, high security and increased safety for the user as ordinary key locks cannot come into unwanted circulation.”
- respect for the individual's wishes»liksom att de äldres individuella önskemål och preferenser respekteras.« (party programme ↗)“as well as that elderly people's individual wishes and preferences are respected.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:SoU3)
- Committee report full text (HB01SoU3)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:15 — med anledning av prop. 2022/23:131 Välfärdsteknik inom äldreomsorgen av Karin Rågsjö m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:28 — med anledning av prop. 2022/23:131 Välfärdsteknik inom äldreomsorgen av Fredrik Lundh Sammeli m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:36 — med anledning av prop. 2022/23:131 Välfärdsteknik inom äldreomsorgen av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP)
- Proposition 2022/23:131 — Välfärdsteknik inom äldreomsorgen
Source: The Swedish Parliament