Municipal health care service, 2008

Municipalities’ gross expenditure on health services reached nearly NOK 9.9 billion in 2008; an increase of almost NOK 900 million from 2007, which is equivalent to an almost 10 per cent increase. The expenditure includes wage costs, per capita grants to private physicians and physiotherapists, expenditure to health centre services and preventive health care. The increase is equivalent to approximately NOK 2 000 per inhabitant.

Increased man-years of physicians and physiotherapists

The number of physicians and physiotherapists continues to increase. A total of 137 new physician man-years was added from 2007 to 2008, reaching a coverage of physicians at 9.5 per 10 000 inhabitants. Seventy-eight new physiotherapist man-years were added from 2007 to 2008, reaching a coverage of physiotherapists at 9.1 per 10 000 inhabitants.

Health inspections for small children

Most small children are given regular health checks by a physician or public health nurse in health centres. However, the percentage of children undergoing such controls falls as the child grows older. Health centres are also recommended to perform visits in a child’s home after birth. Three out of four newborns had a home visit in 2008. This is the same amount as the two previous years.

An increasing number of the municipalities can offer special health centres for youths aged 14 to 20 years old. Teenagers can go there for information on health and to discuss private matters with a public health nurse or physician. A total of 75 per cent of the Norwegian municipalities can offer this service. The small municipalities are often the ones who cannot offer this service.

Tables:

• Table 1 Man-years by occupational groups in the municipal health service. Man-years per 10 000 inhabitants. Centrality. 1994-2008
• Table 2 Man-years by occupational groups in the municipal health service. Centrality. 1994-2008
• Table 3 Man-years by physicians with different wage agreements in the municipal health service. Centrality. 1994-2008
• Table 4 Man-years by physiotherapists with different wage agreements in the municipal health service. Centrality. 1994-2008
• Table 5 Man-years for physicians, by activity area. 1994-2008
• Table 6 Man-years for physiotherapists by activity area. 1994-2008
• Table 7 Man-years in the health centre service and school health service. 1994-2008
• Table 8 Actitity in health centre service and school health service. 2002-2008
• Table 9 Expenditure in municipal health service. 2002-2008