After decades of decentralisation, the state now has a growing role in Nordic health systems

The onset of the financial crisis has forced many European governments into reforming public services, including healthcare. Despite this economic turmoil, the Nordic states have so far been insulated from some of the pressures faced in other European countries. Richard Saltman, Karsten Vrangbaek, Juhani Lehto and Ulrika Winblad look at how the Nordic countries have moved to decentralise the control of healthcare provision over the last fifteen years. They suggest that despite their insulation from the crisis, Nordic governments may be moving towards more centralised models of healthcare provision.