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Background

How elected healthcare policy makers perceive commonly described core values such as access, participation, and equity, can affect how actions towards these core values will be prioritised. With the example of Sweden, where the healthcare sector in each region is self-governed, this study aims to describe how some Swedish policy makers perceive the prerequisites to facilitate the realisation of access to, participation, and equity in healthcare.

Methods

This qualitative descriptive study involved interviews with ten policy makers, members of a public health and healthcare sub-committee, represented a region in Mid-Sweden. The data collected from the semi-structured individual interviews were subjected to a qualitative content analysis.

Results

The policy makers perceived access as a service-minded approach. Considerations about the population’s needs and the effectiveness of healthcare must be addressed to provide access. Participation was perceived as a reciprocal understanding where partnership and knowledge were expressed as fundamental aspects of participation. Equity perceived as a respectful encounter considers socio-economic preconditions, rights, and continuous endeavour.

Conclusions

The core values are commonly shared values but entails challenges to implement these values in healthcare. Implementation can be facilitated by translating the meanings of the core values into contexts where they are supposed to be applied.