Request for comments: Strengthening healthcare and social welfare preparedness in emergency conditions

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health requests comments on a draft government proposal to amend the Act on Organising Healthcare and Social Welfare Services. The aim is to clarify the obligation of wellbeing services counties to prepare for the use or threat of military force. The consultation period is open from 17 June to 23 July 2025.

The draft proposal concerns the provision of executive assistance by wellbeing services counties to the Finnish Defence Forces, the Finnish Border Guard and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as cooperation and its funding between the wellbeing services counties and the Defence Forces. The objective is to ensure close cooperation between the wellbeing services counties and the Defence Forces in normal conditions through joint planning, training and exercises, as well as in emergency conditions in the defence of Finland.

Under the proposed amendment, each wellbeing services county would be required to prepare for the use or threat of military force. This preparedness would be defined by a government decision based on the needs of the Defence Forces. The level of preparedness and related tasks would not be identical in all wellbeing services counties but would vary based on geographical considerations, for example. 

"The Government is preparing to increase funding for the wellbeing services counties to enhance preparedness and defence capabilities, including in healthcare. Protecting healthcare facilities, ensuring their operational capacity and securing material preparedness are important and necessary to safeguard Finland's military defence capabilities and civil society", says Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen. 

Amendment would be part of a broader project to strengthen preparedness in wellbeing services counties 

The proposed legislative changes would build on a previous amendment concerning the wellbeing services counties’ preparedness, readiness and incident management in both normal and emergency conditions. That proposal was submitted to Parliament on 19 December 2024, and the Social Affairs and Health Committee issued a report on the proposal on Tuesday, 10 June 2025.

The objective of the December proposal is to provide sufficient powers for management and decision-making in healthcare and social welfare in the event of incidents under normal conditions, and in emergency conditions. The amendments to the Act on Organising Healthcare and Social Welfare Services would make it possible to prepare for incidents affecting more than only an individual wellbeing services county or for incidents on a national scale.

• Press release 19.12.2024: Government proposes legislative amendments to strengthen preparedness and readiness in healthcare and social welfare 

Inquiries:

Pekka Tulokas, Director for Preparedness, tel. +358 295 163202

Niilo Heinonen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Social Security, tel. +358 295 163603

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