Sweden is a good model

doi:10.1136/bmj.39549.487465.3A

BMJ 2008;336:848 (19 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.39549.487465.3A

Letters

The woman question

Sweden is a good model

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

Since my return to England after 10 years in Stockholm, I havebeen disappointed that progress has been comparatively slowin supporting women in their careers in the UK.¹ The resultantloss of talent is regrettable. There are many women who areunable to work as much as they would like.

Sweden is a good model, as a culture of men also being responsiblefor looking after their children is emerging there. This hasbeen gradually built up through the provision of excellent affordablechild care and an expectation that women with young childrenwill continue with their careers and work flexibly. The resultis the highest birth rate in western Europe, tempering the ageingof the population.

Despite (or perhaps partly because of) this flexibility, healthcareprovision in Sweden is of an extremely high standard.

Rosalind M Duhs, senior teaching fellow

¹ Centre for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching, University College London, London WC1E 7HB

r.duhs@ucl.ac.uk

Competing interests: None declared.