The persistence of the audit culture: supervision within Swedish ambulance services

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate whether, or to what extent, the audit society influences the professional context of Swedish pre‐hospital care.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through an in‐depth case study of public supervision within ambulance services in Sweden. A three‐dimensional framework departing from three analytical concepts (knowledge base, formal organization and operational process) was used as a tool for further analysis of the field material.FindingsThe paper describes ambulance services under the pressure of frequent audits in a context where the knowledge base of ambulatory work was contested. While some have argued this would make it more receptive to an audit culture, the relational distance between the auditor and the auditees was high, which should indicate the opposite.Originality/valueThe paper explores the audit society and its processes. In this particular case, it could be argued that the impact of an audit culture on professional activities was moderated by the dissociated approach of the auditing team.