Collaborative areas for healthcare and social welfare

Every wellbeing services county belongs to one collaborative area. There are a total of five collaborative areas, each with one university hospital. The collaborative areas aim to promote the regional coordination and development of healthcare and social welfare, and cooperation between the wellbeing services counties.

The wellbeing services counties belonging to the same collaborative area draw up a mutual cooperation agreement where they agree on the division of responsibilities between the counties. The bilingual wellbeing services counties also draw up a mutual cooperation agreement to secure the linguistic rights of the Swedish-speaking population in healthcare and social welfare. The wellbeing services counties are responsible for the content of cooperation and for administrative decisions that cooperation and funding require.

The implementation of the cooperation agreement is monitored and assessed annually in the negotiations between the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the wellbeing services counties of the collaborative area. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior also participate in these negotiations.

Collaborative areas

Northern Finland collaborative area

  • Wellbeing services county of Kainuu
  • Wellbeing services county of Central Ostrobothnia
  • Wellbeing services county of Lapland
  • Wellbeing services county of North Ostrobothnia (university hospital)

Eastern Finland collaborative area

  • Wellbeing services county of South Savo
  • Wellbeing services county of Central Finland
  • Wellbeing services county of North Karelia
  • Wellbeing services county of North Savo (university hospital)

Inland Finland collaborative area

  • Wellbeing services county of South Ostrobothnia
  • Wellbeing services county of Kanta-Häme
  • Wellbeing services county of Pirkanmaa (university hospital)

Western Finland collaborative area

  • Wellbeing services county of Ostrobothnia
  • Wellbeing services county of Satakunta
  • Wellbeing services county of Southwest Finland (university hospital)

Southern Finland collaborative area

  • Wellbeing services county of South Karelia
  • Helsinki
  • HUS Group, the joint authority for Helsinki and Uusimaa
  • Wellbeing services county of East Uusimaa
  • Wellbeing services county of Central Uusimaa
  • Wellbeing services county of Kymenlaakso
  • Wellbeing services county of West Uusimaa
  • Wellbeing services county of Päijät-Häme
  • Wellbeing services county of Vantaa and Kerava

Further information

Linda Soikkeli, Senior Specialist 
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Department for Steering of Healthcare and Social Welfare / OHO, Unit for Steering / OHJA Telephone:0295163002   Email Address: