‘People should feel confident that they will receive the healthcare they need. The Labour government has therefore set clear priorities: continuing to strengthen hospitals, supporting the provision of 1,750 nursing home places and establishing a digital frontline service,’ said Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre.

At the same time, the Labour government is taking further steps to strengthen services close to patients and reduce spending on health administration by NOK 200 million. This comes in addition to the NOK 300 million reduction in this year’s budget, bringing the total proposed reduction in central health administration to NOK 500 million. This will allow more funding to be spent on services close to where people live. Hospitals will also be required to cut costs and operate more efficiently, but they will retain most of the saved costs to fund measures to reduce waiting times.

Stronger hospital finances and more nursing home places

The government is proposing a total allocation of NOK 250 billion for hospitals in 2027. This represents an increase of NOK 3.1 billion, in addition to adjustments for wage and price growth and other factors. Even after the efficiency requirements have been taken into account, the increase covers the estimated NOK 2.6 billion needed to meet the demands of a growing and ageing population.

‘The welfare state should be the best health insurance we have in Norway. That is why we are continuing to strengthen our hospitals. Hospitals are already working to meet the new waiting-time targets. The long-term aim is for all patients to have received or started treatment within 60 days of referral. We are taking several steps in the budget to support this work,’ said Vestre.

The government is proposing more than NOK 4 billion for its initiative for older people, which aims to help people enjoy a secure and active old age.

‘To give older people and their families greater peace of mind, the Labour government is prioritising support for more nursing home places, grants to help older people make their homes age-friendly, funding to help voluntary organisations draw on the resources and experience of older people and, not least, a hearing aid guarantee,’ said Vestre.

The government is proposing the following measures in next year’s National Budget:

Continuing to simplify and improve

The Minister of Health and Care Services is committed to building a strong healthcare service for the future, using taxpayers’ money more efficiently and achieving better health outcomes for every Norwegian krone spent. Last year, an overall efficiency requirement of NOK 300 million was introduced, with the savings intended to benefit patients. This year, the government is proposing a further reduction of almost NOK 200 million in health administration.

‘The government is committed to reallocating resources to patients and service users, and there is still scope to work more effectively and efficiently. Hospitals will also have to improve their efficiency, but we will ensure that they retain most of the savings to fund measures to reduce waiting times,’ said Vestre.

Several factors will help hospitals operate more effectively in the future, including changes in organisation, new treatment methods, more modern equipment, ICT solutions and new buildings.

‘More than one million people in Norway now have access to an online GP service, which allows them to have a digital consultation if their regular GP is unavailable. We are also establishing an AI service that will provide reliable answers tailored to the Norwegian healthcare system. This is how we are building a modern healthcare service that meets people’s needs and preferences,’ said Vestre.

Easily accessible mental health services are an important part of the ten-year Escalation Plan for Mental Health, which the government presented in 2023.

‘Easily accessible municipal services are essential to ensuring that people receive good help at an early stage. The sooner we can provide help, the better it is for both the individual and society. Alongside stronger inpatient services for the most seriously ill patients, this is an important priority for 2027,’ said Vestre.