Wellbeing economy and social sustainability build on wellbeing of healthcare and social welfare personnel
A wide range of national and international experts have gathered in Finland to find solutions for supporting healthcare and social welfare personnel’s mental health, wellbeing and ability to cope at work. This two-day seminar in Helsinki is organised jointly by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Europe is facing a common challenge: the population is ageing, chronic diseases are increasing and the treatment and service backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have an impact. For this reason, it is in the common interest of the whole of Europe to foster the coping and mental health of healthcare and social welfare employees.
Economy of wellbeing needs workers who cope in their work
Finland is a frontrunner and an active advocate of the economy of wellbeing. The economy of wellbeing refers to a policy-making approach which enables us to achieve a better balance between social, economic and ecological sustainability. The aim is to improve wellbeing without endangering the state of the economy or the environment
Permanent Secretary Veli-Mikko Niemi from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, who opened the seminar, emphasised the role of healthcare and social welfare personnel in the economy of wellbeing.
“A strong economy and a well-functioning society build on healthcare and social welfare personnel who thrive in their work. Therefore, rapid solutions must be found to foster personnel’s wellbeing and ability to cope at work,” says Niemi.
Finland has many means to tackle shortage of healthcare and social welfare personnel
In Finland, programme work is currently under way to tackle the shortage of healthcare and social welfare personnel, and Taina Mäntyranta, Programme Director and Senior Ministerial Adviser for Medical Affairs, presented this work at the seminar.
“The wellbeing of healthcare and social welfare personnel is at the heart of the Good Work Programme. For example, we train work units so that they can develop their own wellbeing and coping at work and their capacity and ability to work. The objectives of the Programme are very much in line with the Bucharest Declaration, which emphasises the sufficiency of healthcare and social welfare personnel, employee attraction and retention, and the wellbeing and working conditions of healthcare and social welfare personnel,” says Mäntyranta.
Inquiries:
Taina Mäntyranta, Programme Director, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Medical Affairs, tel. +358 295 163 692
Tia-Maria Kirkonpelto, Secretary General, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 163 264
Email addresses for both are in the format [email protected]