A recent user satisfaction survey conducted by Statistics Denmark for the Ministry for Senior Citizens has revealed notable regional disparities in citizens’ satisfaction with home care services across the country. While the national average satisfaction rate stands at 77 percent, significant differences exist between Jutland and Funen, where satisfaction levels are generally higher, and Zealand, where satisfaction tends to be lower.
In Jutland and Funen, four out of five municipalities exhibit satisfaction levels exceeding the national average. Conversely, in Zealand, nearly three out of four municipalities report citizen satisfaction below the national average.
Minister for Senior Citizens Mette Kierkgaard (M) acknowledged the geographical variations, stating, “Basically, it is not acceptable if the postcode is a lottery for quality. I therefore expect that things are being worked on in the individual places, because it is fundamentally about equality in our welfare.”
The eight municipalities with the lowest satisfaction rates are all situated in Zealand, while the 11 municipalities with the highest satisfaction are located in Jutland, Funen, or the small islands.
The Minister for Senior Citizens suggests potential explanations for these differences, such as varying expectations between urban and rural areas. She emphasized the importance of municipalities utilizing the survey data to address the identified issues and improve home care services in their respective regions.
The survey involved 123,000 home care recipients, with 53,000 (43 percent) participating. Respondents answered 39 questions covering various aspects of home care, including satisfaction with personal care, practical assistance, continuity of care, self-determination, and collaboration with relatives.
Samsø and Tønder in Jutland lead in citizen satisfaction with home care, boasting rates of 95 and 89 percent, respectively. Frederiksberg Municipality has the lowest satisfaction rate at 59 percent, followed by Egedal in North Zealand at 63 percent.