Chiropractic and Naprapathy Advocates Call for Expanded Roles in Värmland Healthcare System
Karlstad, Sweden - Leaders from Swedish chiropractic and naprapathy organizations are urging Värmland County officials to integrate these disciplines more fully into primary care, arguing it will alleviate pressure on overburdened medical resources and improve patient access to treatment for musculoskeletal pain. The proposal comes amid evidence suggesting chiropractic and naprapathy interventions can reduce wait times, lower reliance on pain medication, and decrease sick leave.
Since the 1990s, the introduction of chiropractic care in Danish primary care has demonstrated positive outcomes, including shorter referral and treatment queues to back clinics, reduced prescription rates of painkillers for chronic back and neck pain, and fewer sick days reported by patients. Similar benefits have been observed in Sweden with naprapat treatment,specifically shorter wait times for orthopedists.
The advocates - representing the National Association of Certified Chiropractors (LKR) and the Swedish Naprapat Association (SNF) - have outlined three key measures for implementation in Värmland: pilot receptions allowing chiropractors and naprapaths to assess uncomplicated musculoskeletal cases; procurement processes based on broader competence rather than specific professional groups; and clarified roles for these practitioners within the publicly funded healthcare system.
“Chiropractors or naprapaths could make a first-hand assessment of back and neck pain in supposedly uncomplicated cases of muscle and joint problems,” stated Jakob petersen-Klingberg, Chairman of LKR. “Through measurement and follow-up, data can be collected that shows society’s potential savings and provides a basis for possible decisions to expand the investment to the entire country.”
The groups also argue that current procurement practices often limit competition and hinder efficient resource allocation.Sophie Svahn, chairman of SNF, emphasized the need for “opening the tenders for broader solutions…to achieve double profits: more efficient use of tax funds and a richer, more adapted offer for the care recipients.”
Magnus Johansson, a competition and procurement expert from Företagarna, supports this view, while Gunnar Arnarson, Vice Chairman of LKR, Anders Mattsson-Coll, Union Manager of SNF, further advocate for clearly defined roles within the public healthcare system to strengthen skill supply and reduce the burden on physicians.
The core argument centers on equitable access to care. “Should only those who can afford it be able to use the entire range of interventions for back and neck problems, or should care be equally accessible to everyone?” Petersen-Klingberg posed, framing the debate as a matter of healthcare fairness.
