Sweden Emergency Services: Your Essential Guide & Contacts
Whether you’re visiting Sweden, seeking asylum, or newly arrived as a resident, understanding the country’s emergency services could save your life. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about Sweden’s emergency contacts, healthcare system, and when to call for help.
Quick Overview: When and How to Call for Help in Sweden
Sweden has a well-organised emergency response system with specific numbers for different situations. The key is knowing which number to call and when to call it. Always stay calm, speak clearly, and answer all questions from operators to ensure you receive the correct assistance quickly. Emergencies requiring immediate help include danger to life, property, or the environment, serious accidents, or when someone is unconscious or collapses. Non-emergency situations include reporting crimes after the fact, seeking medical advice, or requesting information about accidents or crises.
Emergency Contacts in Sweden: The Four Numbers You Must Know
Sweden has four main emergency and information numbers that everyone should memorise. Each serves a specific purpose and connects you to the appropriate services. Understanding when and how to use each number ensures you get the right help at the right time while avoiding unnecessary delays in emergency response.
112 – Sweden’s Main Emergency Number
Call 112 in cases of immediate danger to life, property, or the environment. This is Sweden’s primary emergency number and is available throughout Europe, free of charge, from any landline or mobile phone. You should call 112 if someone collapses or has a serious accident, during fires or explosions, when crimes are in progress, for medical emergencies requiring immediate attention, or during environmental disasters.
When you call 112, your call is answered by an SOS Alarm Centre operator who speaks Swedish and English. If time permits, interpreters can assist, though this may delay the response. You’ll be connected to the nearest emergency centre, and operators will dispatch police, fire department, ambulance, sea rescue, air rescue, mountain rescue, poison information, customs authorities, on-call priests, or social emergency services as needed.
It’s crucial only to call 112 for genuine emergencies. Unnecessary calls can delay life-saving assistance to others who genuinely need immediate help. Please note that you cannot dial 112 in Sweden from outside the country.
114 14 – Non-Emergency Police Assistance
Use 114 14 for all police matters that don’t require urgent help. This number operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round, with operators speaking Swedish and English. You should call 114 14 to report lost or stolen property, provide tip-offs about crimes, obtain passport and permit information, check police station opening hours, or speak to specific police employees.
If you’re calling from abroad or using a foreign mobile phone in Sweden, dial +46 77 114 14 00. Common problems when calling 114 14 include entering an area code before the number or calling through a company or agency switchboard that isn’t configured for 114 14 calls.
1177 – 24/7 Medical Advice Line (Vårdguiden)
Call 1177 when you need medical advice but aren’t sure if it’s an emergency. This healthcare advice line operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, throughout Sweden. When you call 1177, you’ll speak with a qualified nurse who can provide professional medical advice, help determine whether you need immediate care, recommend appropriate healthcare facilities, and assist in deciding if your situation requires calling 112.
From non-Swedish numbers, you can reach 1177 by dialling +46 771-117700. Some regions provide advice in languages other than Swedish. Always consider calling 1177 before visiting an Emergency Room if you’re unsure about the severity of your condition, as this can save time and reduce anxiety.
113 13 – Information for Non-Acute Crises & Disasters
Call 113 13 when you need information about major accidents or crises, or have information to share about significant events. This number handles non-acute emergencies affecting communities. You should call 113 13 during storms and severe weather events, epidemics and health crises, major traffic accidents, community-wide emergencies, or natural disasters. Use this number to both receive and provide information during significant events that affect public safety but don’t require immediate emergency response.
Understanding Sweden’s Healthcare System
Sweden’s healthcare system offers comprehensive medical care, with varying levels of service depending on your situation, age, and legal status within the country. The system is designed to ensure everyone receives necessary care while providing specialised services for different demographics and needs.
Who Is Entitled to Healthcare in Sweden?
Asylum seekers under 18 years of age are entitled to the same free medical and dental care as Swedish children and young people. Asylum seekers over 18 are entitled to emergency medical and dental care, as well as medical treatment for conditions that may become emergencies if left untreated, at the discretion of doctors, who determine the necessity of such treatment.
If you have been granted a residence permit, you are entitled to the same medical and dental care as all other residents in Sweden. Under Swedish law, everyone is entitled to necessary emergency care. If a patient cannot give consent due to being unconscious or incapacitated, healthcare workers must provide essential treatment to prevent serious threats to life or health.
Accessing Medical Services: Where to Go for What
Medical care centres, known as vårdcentral, are usually your first point of contact for illness or physical and mental complaints. These centres are open on weekdays, typically operate by appointment, and can help with most health issues. They serve as the foundation of Sweden’s healthcare system, providing comprehensive primary care services.
For situations requiring immediate attention when regular medical care centres are closed, urgent care centres called Närakuten are available during evenings and weekends. These facilities utilise a triage system, prioritising the most serious cases first, ensuring that patients with the most significant medical needs receive priority attention.
Urgent Care vs. Emergency Departments: Know the Difference
Understanding the difference between urgent care and emergency departments is crucial for getting appropriate treatment and managing healthcare costs effectively. Urgent care centres handle medical situations that require prompt attention but aren’t life-threatening, while emergency departments are reserved for severe illnesses or injuries.
Emergency departments, known as Akutmottagning or Akuten, are located within hospitals and remain open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. No appointment is needed, but the sickest patients are treated first, meaning you may have to wait if your condition is not critical. These departments are equipped to handle life-threatening situations and severe injuries requiring immediate medical intervention.
Access to Psychiatric and Specialist Care
For psychiatric emergencies, you should go to a psychiatric emergency department known as psykiatrisk akutmottagning, or call 1177 to find the nearest facility. Specialist clinics for services like psychiatry, ophthalmology, or dermatology may require a referral from a healthcare professional at a medical care centre and often involve waiting times for appointments.
School Health, Youth Clinics & Maternity Services
Sweden offers comprehensive healthcare services tailored to various age groups and life stages. School health services are available for all students, offering access to school nurses, doctors, welfare officers, and psychologists. Child health centres, known as barnavårdscentraler, offer regular check-ups and vaccinations for children up to the age of six, ensuring proper development and preventive care.
Youth guidance centres, known as ungdomsmottagning, cater to young people aged 13-25 and provide advice on contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, counselling, and other health concerns relevant to this age group. Women’s centres offer advice, contraception, disease testing, and comprehensive check-ups during pregnancy, with maternity wards remaining open 24 hours a day for childbirth.
Interpreters, Language Support & Confidentiality
Sweden recognises the importance of clear communication in healthcare and emergency services, providing extensive language support and maintaining strict confidentiality standards to ensure everyone receives appropriate care regardless of their language abilities or background.
Your Right to Interpretation in Medical Settings
If you do not speak Swedish well, you are entitled to have an interpreter assist you when in contact with authorities and medical care staff. This right ensures that language barriers don’t prevent you from receiving proper medical care or understanding important health information. Interpreters working for health and medical care services are also bound by confidentiality obligations, meaning they cannot share information about you without your permission.
Assistance by an interpreter is provided free of charge; however, please contact your healthcare clinic in advance to arrange for interpretation services. This planning ensures that qualified interpreters are available when you need medical care, preventing delays in treatment and ensuring clear communication between you and healthcare providers.
Confidentiality in Healthcare and Police Services
All medical care staff in Sweden, including interpreters and pharmacy personnel, are bound by a strict obligation of confidentiality. This means they are legally prohibited from sharing information about you without your explicit permission. This confidentiality extends to all aspects of your medical care, ensuring that your personal health information remains private and secure.
Will Medical Information Affect Your Residence Permit?
What you tell the medical staff will not affect your chances of getting a residence permit in Sweden. This separation between healthcare and immigration matters ensures that people can seek necessary medical care without fear that their health information will be used against them in immigration proceedings. Healthcare providers focus solely on providing medical care and cannot share your health information with immigration authorities.
Healthcare Costs and Insurance in Sweden
Understanding the costs associated with healthcare in Sweden helps you plan for medical expenses and make informed decisions about when and where to seek care. Costs vary depending on the type of care, your age, and your residency status.
What You Pay for Medical Visits and Emergency Treatment
The amount you pay for healthcare varies depending on the type of care you receive, with emergency departments typically costing more than medical care centres. Your age and whether you live in Sweden or come from another country also affect the cost. Healthcare is often free for children and young people, ensuring that age doesn’t become a barrier to receiving necessary medical care.
A typical emergency room visit may cost around 3,500 to 6,000 SEK (approximately $350 to $600 USD), while an urgent care visit may cost around 2,500 to 6,000 SEK (roughly $250 to $600 USD). These costs can often be paid or reimbursed by your health insurance company, so it’s essential to check your coverage and keep all receipts for medical expenses.
Dental Care: What’s Free and What Costs
Dental care in Sweden follows different rules from general healthcare. Dental care is free for individuals under 18 years of age who are seeking asylum in Sweden. If you have been granted a residence permit, you are entitled to free dental care until the end of the year you turn 19, ensuring that young people maintain good oral health during their developmental years.
Children and young people typically have regular dental check-ups, usually once a year, as part of preventive care. Dental care can often be more expensive than other medical care for adults, so it’s advisable to ask about the cost before your visit if you are an adult to avoid unexpected expenses.
Prescription Medications and Pharmacies
In Sweden, medicines are sold in pharmacies, with some requiring a prescription from a doctor. Pharmacy staff are highly knowledgeable about illnesses and treatments and can provide valuable advice about drugs and their proper use. Like all healthcare workers, pharmacy staff are bound by confidentiality obligations and cannot share information about your medications or health conditions.
Useful Websites for Emergency and Medical Information
Sweden offers extensive online resources for emergency and medical information, with many websites providing multilingual support to ensure that everyone can access important health and safety information, regardless of their language background.
Swedish Police Website (polisen.se)
The Swedish Police Authority’s website, polisen.se, provides comprehensive information about police services and public safety. The website uses cookies to ensure functionality and understand visitor usage, with options to manage your cookie preferences. The site is available in multiple languages, including English, Finnish, German, French, Spanish, Arabic, Farsi, and others, making it accessible to Sweden’s diverse population.
UNHCR Sweden: Multilingual Emergency Info
UNHCR Sweden provides crucial information on emergency services in multiple languages, ensuring that refugees and asylum seekers can access life-saving information in their native languages. The website offers information in Swedish, English, Amharic, Ukrainian, Arabic, Dari, Russian, Somali, and Tigrinya, catering to the primary languages spoken by individuals seeking protection in Sweden.
Informationsverige.se for Asylum Seekers and Newcomers
Informationsverige.se is a comprehensive website run by the County Administrative Boards specifically for asylum seekers and new residents in Sweden. The site offers extensive information about living in Sweden, including emergency services, healthcare, and integration support. Content is available in numerous languages, including English, Arabic, Dari, French, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Tigrinya, and Ukrainian.
1177 Vårdguiden: Health Information in Your Language
The 1177 Vårdguiden website, located at 1177.se, provides comprehensive information about healthcare in Sweden. The site offers detailed health information and guidance on navigating the Swedish healthcare system. Content is available in English and several other languages, ensuring that non-Swedish speakers can access critical health information and understand their healthcare options.
Essential Tips for Emergencies in Sweden
Following these essential tips can help ensure you receive appropriate emergency assistance while avoiding common mistakes that could delay help or create unnecessary burden on emergency services.
Don’t Use 112 for Non-Emergencies
Only call 112 for genuine emergencies where there is immediate danger to life, property, or the environment. Using 112 for non-emergency situations can delay vital assistance to others who genuinely need immediate help. If you’re unsure whether your situation constitutes an emergency, call 1177 first for medical advice or 114 14 for police matters that don’t require urgent response.
Reporting Lost or Stolen Property
If you need to report lost or stolen property, call 114 14 rather than 112, as this is typically not considered an emergency. The non-emergency police line can handle property reports efficiently and connect you with the appropriate services for documentation and follow-up procedures.
Need Transport but Not an Emergency? Use a Taxi
If you require transportation to a hospital or urgent care clinic but it’s not a medical emergency, you should order a taxi rather than calling for an ambulance. Ambulances are reserved for immediate medical assistance and emergency transport, not general transportation services. Using a taxi for non-emergency medical appointments helps ensure ambulances remain available for true emergencies.
Notify Staff and Loved Ones After Emergencies
After seeking immediate help in an emergency, it’s recommended to inform relevant program staff if you’re participating in any official programs, and keep your family and loved ones updated about your situation. This communication helps ensure you receive appropriate follow-up support and keeps important people in your life informed about your well-being.