Health and care in focus during hearings on the 2026 national budget

Published 2026-10-22

This week, the Standing Committee on Health and Care Services in the Storting has conducted hearings regarding the proposed national budget for 2026. Representatives from various organizations, professional communities, and health trusts have met to provide their input to politicians on how funds in the health sector should be prioritized in the coming year.

A central theme in the discussions has been the challenges related to staffing and recruitment in the healthcare system. Many stakeholders point out that more employees are needed to ensure quality services for an increasingly aging population. There was also discussion on how to reduce waiting times for patients in need of treatment at Norwegian hospitals.

In addition to personnel issues, the digitalization of health services has received significant attention. The goal is to create a more efficient everyday life for both employees and patients with the help of new technology. However, several organizations emphasized that technological solutions must be followed up with sufficient resources for training and operations in order for them to function as intended.

The budget hearings are an important part of the democratic process in Norway. Through these meetings, politicians receive direct feedback from those who work closest to the patients every day. This provides the committee with a better foundation when they make the final prioritizations in the budget before it is adopted later this autumn.

Now, the committee will review all the input they have received. The final national budget will set the framework for Norwegian health policy in 2026, and many are watching with anticipation to see what changes will be adopted to ensure a sustainable health service for all citizens.

Sources: TEK Norge

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