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The objective of the project, based on the Government’s policy guidelines, is to enhance the safety of children’s and young people’s digital growth environments and to protect them from the harms of social media. [This is a machine translation, we do not guarantee the quality and accuracy of the translations produced.]

Kansallinen ikäohjelma vuoteen 2030 Tavoitteena ikäkyvykäs Suomi Periaatepäätös Valtioneuvosto, Helsinki 2022 Valtioneuvosto This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohi...

“What matters most is the people and how well they work together” Jari Keinänen has worked at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health for 25 years and leads the Wellbeing and Health Protection Unit. What motivates him are the variety of the work...

Reform encourages both parents to take family leave The Family leave reform entered into force on 1 August 2022. The number of parental leave days will increase and there will be more flexibility for parents to take leave. The reform aims to incre...

Contact information Department for Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare / APO Clients and Personnel Unit / ASI Janette Grönfors, Senior Specialist Department for Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare / APO, Clients...

Good Work Programme – Creating more appeal and staying power in the healthcare and social welfare sector Mounting service needs driven by an ageing Finnish population, higher rates of chronic diseases, evolving expectations and new technologies – ...

The national health and wellbeing programme seeks to reduce the wellbeing deficit and disease burden caused by the principal chronic diseases and conditions and their risk factors, to boost working and functional capacity, and to minimise disparities between population groups due to issues of health and wellbeing.

Amending the Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is preparing a government proposal for amending the Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data (555/2019). The Act will be amended in...

Gender mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming is a strategy for promoting gender equality, and it means that the gender perspective is taken into account in all decision-making. The Gender Equality Unit of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health coo...

“A career path can start in unexpected places – mine began as a Habbo Hotel moderator” Taina Pahkamaa‑Huusko has worked at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health since 2010 in a wide range of administrative roles. In her current position as Exe...

European cooperation on market surveillance Application of product legislation The Expert Group on Machinery (MD EG), which deals with issues related to the application of the Machinery Directive, operates under the Machinery Committee of the Euro...

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health directs, monitors and coordinates preparedness for incidents and emergencies in healthcare and social welfare.

Promoting inclusion strengthens social cohesion Inclusion means belonging to and being connected with communities and society. It is reflected, for example, in trust, equality and people’s opportunity to have a say in their own community and socie...

Drug policy Finland makes use of social policy, national legislation and international agreements to prevent the demand and supply of drugs reduce the harm caused by drugs ensure that people with drug problems receive treatment as early as possibl...

Social security for athletes, grant recipients and students Social security and pensions is provided under special arrangements in the case of certain professional groups: Athletes Pension and accident insurenace is compulsory until the age of 65 ...

Open positions and the Ministry as a workplace On this page Open positions Trainee positions at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health The Ministry as a workplace Service relationship, working hours, pay, and general collective agreements Well-...

Health services The aim of healthcare in Finland is to maintain and improve people's health, wellbeing, work ability and functional capacity and social security, as well as to reduce inequalities in health. The healthcare system is based on preven...

Client and patient safety The safety of care and services is part of the overall quality of healthcare and social welfare. Safe care and services are evidence-based and effective. They are provided in the right way and at the right time. Client an...

Social services The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for Finland’s social policy and prepares legislation on social welfare. Social welfare covers promoting social security and wellbeing and taking care of social welfare duties...

Insurance business in Finland is subject to licence.The government grants licences to authorised pension insurance companies that manage earnings-related pension insurance.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Minister of Social Security Karoliina Partanen The National Coalition Party Minister of Social Security Karoliina Partanen is responsible for matters covered by the Department for Insurance and Social Security...

Child welfare Shortly The objective of child welfare is to guarantee children’s right to a safe growth environment, development and special protection. The aim is to provide support at the earliest possible stage at schools and maternity and child...

The mission of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is to safeguard people’s functional capacity, livelihoods and services so that we can live in a stable, equitable and sustainable society.

International and EU affairs On this page Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s objectives for international and EU cooperation International Affairs Unit EU affairs at the Ministry Global cooperation Nordic and regional cooperation Human rights...

Services to families Services aimed at families support parents or other guardians in their efforts to ensure the well-being and good upbringing of children. Early childhood education and care Finnish early childhood education and care combines ed...

Frequently asked questions about the Act on Secondary Use of Health and Social Data Usein kysyttyä: The law mentions the primary and secondary use of customer data. What is the difference between these two concepts? The primary use of customer dat...

Data Protection Contact information Data Protection Officer Data Protection Officer Lassi Kauttonen The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Department for Communities and Functional Capacity tietosuojavastaava.stm(at)gov.fi Controller The Minis...

Radiation protection In Finland, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has supreme authority in supervising compliance with the Radiation Act, and it directs the protection of the public, workers and patients from harmful radiation. The Minist...

According to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Decree on the prescription of medicines (1088/2010), special attention must be given to the safety of pharmaceuticals.

14.1.2026 | Gendered vulnerabilities of boys and young men must be taken into account when planning education and health and social services. The latest report calls for a shift from gender neutrality to gender-sensitive policymaking that recognises differences between genders and identifies specific needs. It proposes that raising competence levels and preventing violence should be set as shared national goals across all work with children and young people.

3.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has published the Non-Violent Childhoods Action Plan for 2026–2033 aimed at preventing all forms of violence against children. The plan, which will be implemented at the government level, is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Lanzarote Convention and national statutes that require all forms of violence against children to be combated.

12.3.2018 | SELVITYS KEINOISTA LÄÄKKEENMÄÄRÄÄMISEN JÄRKEVÖITTÄMISEKSI VIIDESSÄ ESIMERKKIMAASSA Proviisori Katrimari Kiviluoto 30.4.2016 SISÄLLYSLUETTELO KÄYTETYT LYHENTEET 1 TAUSTA .................................................................................

22.6.2022 | On 22 June, the Ministerial Working Group on COVID-19 received an epidemiological review as well as an overview of the updated vaccination strategy and testing and tracing strategy.

12.5.2023 | The measures launched during the working capacity programme to create a more inclusive labour market and to employ people with impaired working capacity should be continued and developed further. The employees’ ability to work is an essential factor in the pursuit of a higher employment rate. These are some conclusions of the evaluation report on the recently completed working capacity programme.

5.12.2025 | Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 2024 Under Article 8 of the Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 ASSESSMENT ECDC ASSESSMENT Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 20...

3.5.2023 | An informal meeting of EU employment and social affairs ministers will take place in Stockholm on 3–4 May 2023 and an informal meeting of EU health ministers on 4–5 May 2023. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Hanna Sarkkinen and Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru will represent Finland at the meetings.

31.10.2023 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has launched an overall reform of the Communicable Diseases Act, which is to be implemented in 2023–2025. The reform aims to intensify the prevention of communicable diseases and to strengthen preparedness for epidemics and pandemics.

15.5.2023 | The priorities and objectives of the WORK2030 programme responded well to the needs to develop working life, according to an external assessment. The programme supported earlier development work and succeeded in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in particular. The programme played an active role in implementing the ongoing reform of continuous learning at workplaces.

10.1.2024 | In the first phase of the national health and wellbeing programme Terveydeksi (‘To Your Health’), concrete measures will be selected based on scientific expertise. The implementation of the measures in the second phase will start in autumn 2024. 

28.6.2024 | The Government and central labour market organisations have negotiated joint equal pay measures for the period 2024–2027. The aim of the Equal Pay Programme is to further reduce the gender pay gap. In addition to the measures set out in the Programme, there are other measures underway to reduce the pay gap.

16.4.2024 | The Government reached an agreement on the future of the network of hospitals and urgent and emergency health services in its spending limits session. It decided that changes would be made to night-time emergency care services in primary healthcare and to specialised healthcare in certain hospitals. The aim is to balance public expenditure and respond to the shortage of healthcare personnel.

10.2.2022 | The national strategy for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing has been updated. The aim is to identify the causes of severe respiratory infections and to prevent the spread of infections particularly among groups of people who have a high risk of developing a more serious form of the disease.

8.2.2022 | On Tuesday 8 February, the Ministerial Working Group on Coordinating COVID-19 Response continued the preparations for implementing the decisions made in the Government’s negotiations last week. The ministerial working group also decided in favour of lifting the recommendation on remote work at the end of February. Decrees on easing restaurant restrictions and extending the suspension of the use of the COVID-19 passport in its current form are under preparation.

21.12.2023 | Finland’s communicable diseases legislation is being reformed in 2023–2025. During the reform, a number of thematic workshops will be organised to give the key stakeholders an opportunity to express their views. The first workshop was held on 18 December under the theme business activities and employment.

1.12.2023 | The International Health Organization WHO has stated that climate change is the single biggest threat facing humanity in the 21st century. According to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC, approximately 3.6 billion people live in contexts that are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

24.1.2025 | The Council of the EU adopted a regulation on 21 January 2025 that will facilitate the exchange of health data within the EU. The regulation will improve citizens’ control over their personal health data and provide healthcare professionals with access to patient data, regardless of where patients live or receive treatment.

14.1.2022 | In its meeting on Friday 14 January, the Government’s Ministerial Working Group on Coordinating COVID-19 Response discussed the development of the epidemic, closures of food and beverage service businesses and compensation for the costs of restrictive measures. On Friday morning, the ministerial working group received an overview of the epidemiological situation and heard preliminary assessments...

11.12.2023 | A project at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is working on a proposal for a well-being economy steering model for Finland that would strengthen wellbeing-oriented policymaking in Finland. A workshop, organized by THL and the OECD WISE Centre on 21–22 November 2023, brought together officials from pioneering countries to discuss the functionality and application of governance practices for a well-being framework.

30.1.2023 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has instructed airlines that people travelling from China to Finland should be required to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 48 hours before the start of their trip. Passengers should also wear a mask or respirator during flights.

Nationellt åldersprogram fram till 2030 För ett ålderskunnigt Finland Principbeslut Statsrådet, Helsingfors 2022 Statsrådet This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohib...

24.2.2022 | The new Client and Patient Safety Strategy and its Implementation Plan for 2022–2026 have been published. The vision of the Strategy is to make Finland a model country for client and patient safety in 2026 and to prevent avoidable harm.

1.6.2021 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is continuing to prepare legislation on the self-determination of clients and patients. A roadmap extending beyond the term of the current Government will also be drawn up to strengthen client and patient participation and rights, and a broad-based monitoring group will be appointed to support this work.

25.8.2022 | The second phase of the reform concerning services for older people will improve particularly services provided at home and housing services. The reform will, for the most part, enter into force on 1 January 2023 simultaneously with the health and social services reform. The amendments will also apply to other client groups of social services. 

9.12.2025 | Uppföljningsrapport: Nationellt handlingsprogram för FN:s konvention om rättigheter för personer med funktionsnedsättning (2020–2023) SOCIAL- OCH HÄLSOVÅRDSMINISTERIETS PUBLIKATIONER 2023:25 Uppföljningsrapport: Nationellt handlingsprogram för FN:...

28.2.2024 | The quality recommendation for older people strives to guarantee the active ageing and functional capacity of older people along with sustainable services. The quality recommendation is a tool for planning, developing and assessing services for older people. The recommendation is also intended for older people themselves and their families and other people close to them.

2.2.2021 | The Global Risks Report  of the World Economic Forum includes extreme weather and climate action failure, infectious diseases and digital inequality in the list of world’s greatest threats in 2021. These issues also directly impact occupational safety and health (OSH). 

16.2.2021 | The Government has completed and published its draft proposal for the family leave reform. The draft proposal will be circulated for comments between 19 February and 2 April 2021. 

13.10.2020 | The Ministerial Working Group on Health and Social Services has reviewed the comments received during the consultation round, organised from 15 June to 25 September, on the health and social services reform and outlined policies and made changes to the draft government proposal. The draft bill will be submitted to the Finnish Council of Regulatory Impact Analysis (FCRIA) on 14 October 2020. The Government proposal is due to be submitted to Parliament in early December 2020.

22.11.2021 | The transformation of work and new ways to work offer both challenges and opportunities for the Nordic labour market and workers’ wellbeing. The Nordic employment ministers will discuss these topics at a meeting organised by Finland as part of its Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers on 22–23 November 2021.

12.2.2019 | In its meeting on Tuesday 12 February, the ministerial working group for health and wellbeing discussed the current status of care services for the elderly. The ministerial working group decided to start its work on the reform of the Act on Care Services for Older Persons during this government term.

9.12.2025 | Social- och hälsovårdministeriets PUBLIKATIONER | 2024:32 PU B LIK ATIO N ER | 2024:## Rätt till delaktighet och likabehandling Nationellt handlingsprogram för FN:s konvention om rättigheter för personer med funktionsnedsättning 2023–2027 Kansalli...

17.4.2020 | The economy is in crisis. Wellbeing is unevenly distributed and not everyone has equal opportunities in society. We are concerned about the state of the environment. The world of work is changing, and ageing of population will change the demographic structure. Now, if ever, is the time to talk about wellbeing broadly.

15.2.2023 | The programme for ensuring the sufficiency and availability of healthcare and social welfare personnel, which was launched by Minister Krista Kiuru, will end as the parliamentary term draws to a close. The aim of the programme has been to find solutions to meet the labour needs of the healthcare and social welfare sector now and in the coming years.

22.10.2020 | A summary of comments received on the draft government proposal on the organisation of health, social and rescue services is published. It collates the main comments received during the consultation round on the draft government proposal. Respondents welcome the objectives of the reform and agree on its necessity.

21.10.2020 | A summary of comments received on the draft government proposal on the organisation of health, social and rescue services is published. Respondents welcome the objectives of the reform and agree on its necessity.

23.2.2023 | On Thursday 23 February, the Government appointed Liisa Perttula as the new Director of Human Resources and Administration at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Perttula will take up her duties on 1 March 2023.

11.3.2013 | The numbers of immigrants in Finland have grown rapidly in the last couple of decades. In 1990 there were just 26 000 foreign nationals living in Finland, but by 2011 this had risen to 183 000. Despite this, the authorities have had scant information on the health and welfare of immigrants. The Finnish service system has not been able to meet all the particular needs faced by immigrants, explains MSAH Ministerial Counsellor Viveca Arrhenius. "In the past we have tended rely on gut instinct.

24.10.2023 | Finland has ranked eighth in the Gender Equality Index for the European Union (EU). The Index measured gender equality in various domains, such as work, health and power.

4.2.2022 | On Friday 4 February, the President of the Republic appointed Member of Parliament Aki Lindén, Licentiate of Medicine and Master of Social Sciences, to serve as Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services and as a member of the Government.

2.12.2022 | Petteri Nurmi took up his duties as Special Adviser to Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru on 1 December 2022. His areas of responsibility are social assistance, international affairs and rehabilitation.

15.2.2023 | As international recruitment becomes increasingly common in the healthcare and social welfare sector, it is important to ensure that employers have sufficient competence to manage recruitment responsibly. Responsibility recommendations prepared to support recruitment promote consideration of ethical aspects and combat risks of labour exploitation.

11.6.2020 | The coronavirus outbreak in spring has changed everyday routines. After the initial shock, some people are even better than before. For others, a possible new wave of the virus and their own future may be frightenining and a source of anxiety. Managing daily life may be difficult.

25.11.2021 | On 25 November, the Ministerial Working Group on Health and Social Services discussed the COVID-19 situation in Finland and the restrictions in place. The Ministerial Working Group proposes tighter restrictions on food and beverage service businesses. The Government will decide on the matter as soon as possible.

8.12.2020 | The Government proposes that wellbeing services counties be established and healthcare, social welfare and rescue services be reformed. The proposed counties would be established as soon as possible after the passing and approval of the relevant bills. The bills would enter into force in stages, the first ones on 1 July 2021 and the last ones on 1 January 2023. However, Parliament needs to pass the legislative package before the reform can enter into force.

23.2.2023 | The Government's cross-sectoral working group on gender equality has assessed the progress of the action plan and prepared a final report. The final report concludes that a large number of the measures in the gender equality action plan were achieved, despite the crises that shook the world. The Government discussed the progress of the Action Plan for Gender Equality in its evening session on 22 February.

11.2.2016 | Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Juha Rehula presented his preliminary proposal on an overall revision of Alhohol Act at the meeting of the ministerial working group on promotion of health and wellbeing. The meeting was held on Thursday, 11 February. The Government aims to update the obsolete alcohol legislation and to submit their proposal to Parliament in the early summer. The proposal will be sent on a consultation round as soon as possible.

31.1.2022 | At its meeting on 7 January, the Ministerial Working Group on COVID-19 issued a recommendation that people meet with no more than five persons outside their immediate family at a time. In a written procedure on Monday 31 January, the Ministerial Working Group decided to lift this recommendation as of 1 February.

19.1.2017 | In future, occupational health care will be more closely connected to the systems of health and social services and rehabilitation. More occupational health care measures than today will be available to maintain employees’ ability to work and to support longer working careers. The aim is to help those, who have reduced capacity for work to continue working more often than today. These outlines ...

9.2.2022 | EU foreign and health ministers will convene for a joint ministerial conference in Lyon, France, on 9 February, and EU health ministers for an informal meeting in Grenoble on 10 February. At their joint conference, foreign and health ministers will discuss how to promote EU measures in the field of global health to support low- and middle-income countries. The meeting of health ministers will focus on the public health dimension of the European Health Union.

20.1.2017 | Finland continues its active work in order to improve global health security. Finland is chairing the international Joint External Evaluation Alliance (JEE) until October 2018. The Alliance supports the evaluation of health security of different countries and the implementation of International Health Regulations, and promotes the related development measures. Finland is also a member of the steering group of the Global Health Security Agenda GHSA, a global cooperative forum for health security.

6.3.2018 | All children have a right to protection, no matter whether they are born in Finland or somewhere else.

11.6.2020 | FINNISH GOVERNMENT | Snellmaninkatu 1 A, Helsinki, PO Box 23, FI-00023 Government, Finland Prime Minister Marin’s Government decides basis for health and social services reform The Government has finalised the policy outlines for the health and so...

3.2.2023 | Genomstrategi Innehåll Inledning ................................................................................................................................................. 3 STRATEGISKT MÅL 1: Finland utnyttjar sina unika förutsättningar i ...

14.2.2020 | A comprehensive social security reform to be launched in spring 2020 is one of the major reform projects of this decade in Finland.

26.6.2019 | Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on vaccinations The following is issued by decision of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health pursuant to section 54 of the Communicable Diseases Act (1227/2016): Section 1 National vaccinatio...

7.11.2019 | On Thursday, 7 November, the Government appointed Markus Henriksson as Director-General of Valvira, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health. Henriksson will continue in his current position as he has served as Director-General of the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health since 2017.

8.12.2025 | Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön JULKAISUJA | 2024:31 JU LK A ISU JA | 2024:## Oikeus osallisuuteen ja yhdenvertaisuuteen YK:n vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksien yleissopimuksen kansallinen toimintaohjelma 2023–2027 Kansallinen m ielenterveysstrateg...

31.10.2019 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities have updated the quality recommendation for child welfare. In the same connection, quality criteria was drawn up for substitute care and for monitoring it.

5.6.2020 | Reform of health, social and rescue services Policy outlines of the Ministerial Working Group on Health and Social Services Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru Press conference on 5 June 2020 About the reform • Reduce inequ...

13.3.2018 | Finland has published, for the first time, a National Action Plan on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Action Plan will implement the UN Convention that entered into force in summer 2016. The aim is to strengthen the rights of persons with disabilities and to improve their opportunities for participation.

31.1.2019 | There are more means than before to prevent suicides among the Sámi living in Finland, Sweden and Norway. Taking those means into use requires more funding, skilful helpers and knowledge about the factors behind the increased suicide risk among the Sámi. All these require greater political will.

20.10.2016 | The Government proposes the implementation of a basic income experiment. The experiment would be carried out in 2017 and 2018, and its aim is to show whether basic income can be used to reform social security so that incentive traps relating to work are eliminated.

3.9.2018 | National action plan ON ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE 2017–2021 Publications 2017:12MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND HEALTH National action plan on antimicrobial resistance 2017–2021 Antti Hakanen, Jari Jalava ja Liisa Kaartinen Ministry of Social Affair...

24.2.2017 | Every fifth Finn in working age suffers from chronic pain that may even lead to loss of work ability. Surveys indicate that resources available for treating chronic pain and cancer pain are inadequate compared to treatment needs. There are also significant regional differences in the availability of treatment.

22.11.2016 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health requests opinions from stakeholders on the draft government proposal to Parliament on the Alcohol Act and other related Acts. The deadline for comments is 16 January 2017. The government proposal on the Alcohol Act could be submitted to Parliament during the spring session 2017. The entry into force of the act will be decided during parliamentary discussions.

Regeringens proposition till riksdagen med förslag till lag om ändring av hälso- och sjukvårdslagen och till lagar som har samband med den PROPOSITIONENS HUVUDSAKLIGA INNEHÅLL I denna proposition föreslås det att hälso- och sjukvårdslagen ändras t...