People are at the centre in the new public health communication that the Government presented to the Riksdag. In it, the Government sets out the direction of public health policy. One starting point of the communication is to use the individuals own power and capacity to define their health and formulate any problems they may have. Other actors are to help find solutions.

• Public health policy with people at the centre

On 14 June 2012, a proposal was referred to the Council on Legislation for consideration containing draft regulations based on the proposals of the Child Protection Inquiry to strengthen support and protection for children and young people who risk being neglected or abused. This will result in amendments to the current Social Services Act, which will regulate society's responsibility for children and young people receiving care away from home.
It is proposed that this bill enter into force on 1 January 2013.

• Protection for children at risk strengthened

All countries that have acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child are to submit a report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child every fifth year on their efforts to implement the Convention. The Government submitted its report to the UN on 31 August 2012. The Government´s assessment in this report is that Swedish legislation is well in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child but that the application of this legislation must be further ensured.

• Sweden's fifth periodic report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child 2007-2012

The new government agency, the National Government Service Centre, opened its doors to the public on 1 June 2012. The National Government Service Centre offers administrative support services to other government agencies. The aim is to achieve higher productivity, lower costs for joint investments and more consistent quality for the central government as a whole.

• National Government Service Centre coordinates and streamlines agency administration

We Swedes are living longer, with many people enjoying more years of good health. The Retirement Age Inquiry show that while opportunities for older people to carry on working longer are steadily improving, there are still obstacles that need to be tackled with broad and mutually reinforcing measures. Read more about this in the Government newsletter.

• Government newsletter - Longer life, longer working life

In March, the Government adopted the 2012 action plan for alcohol, narcotics, doping and tobacco policy (ANDT). With this action plan, the Government intends to provide the conditions for government agencies and organisations to conduct long-term planning for their activities. Some of the key elements of the 2012 action plan are building up functioning national monitoring of the ANDT strategy that can also provide support to those working around the country, an initiative to reduce cannabis abuse and an initiative targeting children and young people.

The Swedish Government is investing SEK 100 million in 2012 to develop care choice systems. As national coordinator, Roger Molin is tasked with stimulating development of the care choice scheme. A key part of the assignment entails looking into how the care choice scheme can be developed in open specialised medical care.

• National assignment to coordinate care choice scheme

This Bill presents proposals to clarify employers' responsibility for sick pay. A period of sick pay shall not begin unless the worker has completely returned to work and worked for at least one day since the employer last paid sick pay for one full period of sick pay. It is proposed that the legislation enter into force on 1 July 2012.

• Clarification of employer responsibility for sick pay