Payment Crisis at Sjukvårdsmäklarna Sverige AB Leads to Operational Quarantine

Sjukvårdsmäklarna Sverige AB, a healthcare staffing company, is currently facing a severe payment and operational crisis that has left many nurses unpaid and the company under quarantine by Västra Götalandsregionen. Employees, including consultants like Sanna Svelander from Luleå, have reported not receiving full salaries for October and November 2025. Initially, the company blamed a cyberattack on SEB bank for the delays, but SEB clarified that only a minor disruption occurred earlier in the week, contradicting the cyberattack claim.

Adrian Blomstervik, the operational manager, acknowledged that liquidity problems stemming from changes in the staffing industry and excessive hiring relative to income were the real causes of the payment issues. He denied prior knowledge of the cyberattack message and took responsibility for the company's financial difficulties.

The situation escalated as Västra Götalandsregionen, after multiple failed attempts to reach the company's leadership, placed Sjukvårdsmäklarna Sverige AB in quarantine. This quarantine prevents the company from dispatching consultants to new assignments. The regional authority underscored that, while they pay the staffing company, the company itself is responsible for paying its consultants. If the company declares bankruptcy, the existing contract will be terminated.

Two police reports have been filed by affected healthcare personnel, although the region has not filed one. The union Vårdförbundet is preparing to assist members who have not been paid, potentially pursuing legal actions.

Blomstervik has criticized the quarantine decision and expressed his efforts to save the business, mentioning a potential interested party looking to take over. The crisis has also shed light on broader challenges in the healthcare staffing sector, especially with the national agreement for temporary healthcare staff, effective January 1, 2024, which aims to reduce costs and decrease reliance on temporary labor.

Sanna Svelander expressed frustration over the lack of transparency and communication from the company during this ordeal, emphasizing that bankruptcy might have been a more responsible route to protect employees' wages. The unfolding developments continue to impact healthcare consultants and raise concerns about the stability and accountability of staffing firms in the Swedish healthcare system.