Government seeks health reform within months

The Danish government plans to implement a new healthcare reform in the coming months, intending to introduce legislation in the latter half of February according to their legislative program published with the opening of Folketinget. The reform is expected to follow the recommendations from the Health Structure Commission. Last month, the government suggested merging the Zealand and Capital Region, reducing the number of regions from five to four. This is part of an effort to ensure equal access to healthcare across the country. Additionally, the government aims to establish medical education places in Aalborg, Esbjerg, and Køge, with a target of having at least 5,000 general practitioners by 2035 and creating 17 new health councils. Furthermore, a reform of employment efforts was proposed, including the abolition of job centers and reducing sanctions, particularly for citizens with complex problems, based on recommendations from an expert group issued in June.