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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...

18.2.2026 | According to a report by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the gap between wellbeing services counties’ operations and finances widened in 2025. This trend is also expected to continue in the coming years. The underlying reasons include population ageing, an increase in service needs and uneven regional migration.

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...

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...

Palvelureformilla uudistetaan sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon sisältöjä koskeva lainsäädäntö sekä siihen liittyvä ohjaus vastaamaan nykyisiä sote-rakenteita ja valtakunnallisia sote-tavoitteita. Palvelureformi toteuttaa pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallitusohjelmaa. Valmistelusta vastaa sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö.

Services and benefits for old people Shortly Social security for older people consists of healthcare and social welfare services and income security. The responsibility for organising these services lies with wellbeing services counties, which ass...

Electronic services support the pharmacotherapy Medication list as a tool for healthcare professionals A national up-to-date medication list is under preparation. Its benefits will be based on a procedure where all essential structural medication ...

Health and social services The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health sets the guidelines for developing health and social services, drafts the relevant legislation and guides the implementation of reforms. Legislation » Legislation on social and h...

Mental health services The aim of mental health work is to strengthen people's good mental health and to reduce factors that undermine it. This work includes activities to promote mental health and prevent mental health disorders, as well as menta...

Services for older people Shortly Wellbeing services counties organise health and social services for older people. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities have published a quality recomme...

Services and support for people with disabilities Persons with disabilities have the right to equality, inclusion, self-determination, independent living, non-discrimination and the necessary individual services and support. The principle is that ...

Wellbeing services counties will be responsible for organising health, social and rescue services Wellbeing services counties will be responsible for organising healthcare, social welfare and rescue services in Finland. There are 21 wellbeing serv...

National service reform: Reform of the content and operating methods of health and social services The service reform will reform the legislation concerning the contents of health and social services and the related guidance to correspond to the c...

Steering of wellbeing services counties The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the general guidance, direction, planning and development of healthcare and social welfare in Finland. The Ministry of the Interior, in turn, is r...

Wellbeing services counties on the map Shortly There are 21 wellbeing services counties in Finland, responsible for organizing social and health care services as well as rescue services in their respective areas. The City of Helsinki and the Åland...

Urgent and emergency health services Wellbeing services counties must organise 24-hour services for dealing with urgent cases. Patients can receive urgent care at urgent care centres irrespective of their place of residence. Urgent cases include c...

Private providers of health and social services, in other words companies, organisations and foundations, already account for about 22 per cent of the whole health and social services sector. They operate in both publicly and privately funded markets.

Department for Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare The Department for Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare prepares and develops issues pertaining to the position and rights of the customer and the patient, healt...

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is preparing regulation on service choices in both healthcare and social welfare.

Health and social services for people arriving from Ukraine On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a military attack against Ukraine. Finland is committed to helping people who have fled the war in Ukraine to Finland, also with respect to healthcare...

Social security and services for people applying for and receiving international protection in Finland People applying for international protection leave their home countries for various reasons, for example, to escape war, persecution or insecuri...

Provisions will be laid down on the principles according to which the inclusion of services and methods in the range of services and their removal will be implemented in public healthcare and social welfare. The possibility of enacting provisions on a national actor who can make a binding decision on the inclusion of the method in the range of public services will be investigated.

The large-scale interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform aims to assess the achievement of the reform objectives in 2025 in relation to the objectives laid down in legislation. The evaluation will be carried out on the basis of the implementation in 2023–2025 and by examining the preconditions for achieving the long-term objectives of the reform.

Arbetet med missbruk av berusningsmedel och annat beroendebeteende Kortfattat Syftet med arbetet med missbruk av berusningsmedel och annat beroendebeteende är att minska skadeverkningarna och främja hälsan, välfärden och säkerheten. Välfärdsområde...

Decision draft under section 45b, subsection of the chemicals act restricting marketing of products containing nicotine General notification to concerned parties of hearing concerning a decision on nicotine pouches (VN/20729/2023) The Government i...

Substance abuse and addiction prevention Shortly The goal of substance abuse and addiction prevention is to reduce harm and promote health, wellbeing and safety. The wellbeing services counties organise substance abuse prevention and provide healt...

Pharmacotherapy and pharmaceutical service The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the development of pharmaceutical services and for preparation of legislation on pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical services are an integral part ...

The Government appointed a parliamentary monitoring group to support the legislative drafting project launched by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health to lay down the principles for the national choice of effective services and methods. [This is a machine translation, we do not guarantee the quality and accuracy of the translations produced.]

Legislation on health and social services In Finland, the state's responsibility to promote welfare, health and security is rooted in the Constitution. This enshrines the right of everyone to income and to care, if they are unable to manage adequa...

10.12.2025 | An independent group of experts has conducted a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform, which was published on 10 December. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso, Minister of Local and Regional Government Anna-Kaisa Ikonen and Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen consider the findings valuable.

Patient ombudspersons and social services ombudspersons Patient ombudspersons and social services ombudspersons advise and assist patients or social welfare clients in situations where they are dissatisfied with the healthcare or social welfare se...

Private providers of health and social services Private providers of health and social services, in other words companies, organisations and foundations, already account for about 22 per cent of the whole health and social services sector. They op...

Legislation on services and benefits for older people This page lists the key pieces of legislation on services and benefits for older people. Below you will find them by topic and also links to more detailed guidance. Health and social services I...

Shared Services Unit (YPA) - personnel Hidden

Service System Unit (PAL) - personnel Hidden

Conscripts allowance and other armed service benefits The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for developing and preparing the legislation concerning conscripts allowance. Conscripts and civilian servicemen as well as their family...

Service på en institution inom socialvården Kortfattat Service på en institution ordnas, när behövlig vård eller omsorg inte kan ges i en persons eget hem. Servicen kan vara kort- eller långvarig och även ges dygnet runt. Institutionsvård ges i sy...

Further information Related topics Sosiaalimenot ja rahoitus Palvelujen menot ja rahoitus Hidden

Department for Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare - personnel Hidden

There are six Regional State Administrative Agencies in mainland Finland. They guide and supervise public and private healthcare and social welfare.

10.12.2025 | The wellbeing services county reform is progressing towards the set objectives throughout Finland, but there are still many issues left to address. This is according to a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform made by an independent expert group.

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

12.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will launch a pilot project in early 2026 to test a nationwide model and indicators for knowledge-based management designed to support research, development, education, innovation and competence development in the wellbeing services counties.

30.10.2025 | Officials of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health have prepared a healthcare and social welfare 2040 vision to outline their view of the long-term direction of health and social services in Finland. The aim is to ensure that, in future, people in Finland will continue to receive effective, equal and sustainable services which they can trust.

9.4.2025 | Prime Minister Orpo’s Government has set an objective of adjusting public sector activities to ensure that the national economy is on a sustainable footing. At the moment, it looks like it will be difficult to achieve this objective over the next few years though. The decision-makers in the wellbeing services counties are in a key role here. Reaching fiscal balance in general government finances is essential.

Palvelureformilla uudistetaan sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon sisältöjä koskeva lainsäädäntö sekä siihen liittyvä ohjaus vastaamaan nykyisiä sote-rakenteita ja valtakunnallisia sote-tavoitteita. Palvelureformi toteuttaa pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallitusohjelmaa. Valmistelusta vastaa sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö.

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. 

29.1.2024 | A recent report compares Finns’ state of health and Finnish health services with other EU states and Nordic countries. Released by the European Commission, focus areas of the report include the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and mental health. Although Finland does well in many respects, there are challenges especially in the availability of health services.

6.9.2024 | On 6 September 2024, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health gave an account of the further preparation of the reform concerning the system of hospitals and emergency care services and the division of duties in specialised healthcare. The Ministry also gave an account of the more than 100 (around 140) comments that were received on the reform.

10.6.2022 | Finland’s maternity clinic system celebrates its centenary this year. The system began in a renovated log cabin room of the Children’s Castle hospital in Helsinki.

Valtioneuvoston asetus syöpäsairauden vaaraa aiheuttavista, perimää vaurioittavista ja lisääntymiselle vaarallisista tekijöistä työssä Valtioneuvoston päätöksen mukaisesti säädetään työturvallisuuslain (738/2002) 10 §:n 4 momentin, 14 §:n 2 moment...

9.4.2026 | The Government is proposing changes aimed at preventing intentional misuse of social security, reducing incorrect social security payments and improving information exchange with Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland.

17.4.2026 | Social- och hälsovårdsministeriet begär utlåtanden om regeringens utkast till proposition om ändringarna av socialvårdslagen och vissa lagar som har samband med den. De finskspråkiga utlåtandena ska lämnas in senast den 29 maj 2026 kl. 16.15.   

16.4.2026 | The Government proposes amendments to the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Childcare Allowances. The proposal would implement the Norwegian model for child home care allowance. The proposal seeks to promote the integration and labour market position of women with an immigrant background and to increase the participation of children in early childhood education and care.

15.6.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior request comments on the draft government proposal concerning the health and social services reform and the organisation of rescue services from the municipalities and joint municipal authorities of mainland Finland and other parties mentioned in the request for comments. The deadline for submitting comments is 25 September 2020.

5.6.2020 | On 5 June, the Government published its policy on the reform of rescue services. The Government proposes that the responsibility for organising rescue services would rest with health and social services counties and the City of Helsinki. Rescue services would continue to be a separate sector working in parallel with the healthcare and social welfare sector.

9.12.2021 | The second phase of the reform concerning services for older people will proceed to Parliament for consideration. The reform aims to improve particularly the sufficiency and quality of services provided to older people at home. It will also expand the diversity of services.

23.3.2026 | The sufficient Finnish or Swedish proficiency of professionals working in the healthcare and social welfare sector forms an essential part of patient safety and service quality. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is currently preparing measures to make it easier to ensure language proficiency, and to support employers in enhancing professionals’ language skills.

9.3.2026 | EU ministers will convene for a meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Brussels on 9 March. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman will represent Finland at the meeting.

27.4.2026 | Social- och hälsovårdsministeriet begär utlåtanden om de ändringar som föreslås i lagstiftningen om barnskyddet i reformens andra fas. Syftet med ändringarna är att stifta en helt ny lag om det särskilda skyddet av barn på grund av att den gällande barnskyddslagen har blivit splittrad på grund av de många ändringar som gjorts i den. Det finska utkastet till propositionen är på remiss 27.4–8.6 och det svenska 11.5–15.6.2026. 

17.9.2020 | The Government has submitted a proposal to Parliament regarding the reform of the Act on Client Charges in Health and Social Services. According to the proposal, more cost-free services will be introduced and client charges made more equitable. 

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.

29.4.2022 | Lagstiftningen om mentalvård och missbrukarvård ska revideras. Utkastet till regeringspropositionen är på remiss fram till den 10.6.2022 klockan 16. Bestämmelserna om det arbete och de tjänster som gäller mentalvård och missbrukarvård ska i fortsättningen finnas i huvudsak i socialvårdslagen och hälso- och sjukvårdslagen.

28.4.2026 | Den parlamentariska arbetsgruppen för välfärdsområdenas framtidsarbete sammanträdde till sitt första möte i Riksdagshuset den 28 april. Arbetsgruppen behandlade målen för arbetet, arbetsmetoderna och lägesbilden över välfärdsområdenas regionala verksamhetsmiljö.

16.6.2021 | Social- och hälsovårdsministeriet har färdigställt ett utkast till en regeringsproposition med syftet att förbättra tjänsterna för äldre människor, särskilt tjänsterna i hemmet. Samtidigt vill man också utveckla boendetjänsterna. Utkastet är på remiss till den 27 augusti. 

29.8.2019 | Now people need to wait weeks to see a doctor. Clients are lost in a jungle of services when trying to find the right service. Municipalities’ costs for health and social services cannot be kept under control, which is why municipalities are considering to reduce their basic services.

17.4.2026 | A total of 5,000 patients have been evacuated from Ukraine to EU Member States under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The 5,000th patient was evacuated to Finland. Finnish Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen and EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib met on 16 April to discuss issues such as the evacuation of patients.

5.6.2020 | The Government has finalised the policy outlines for the health and social services reform, on the basis of which preparations for the reform will continue. The aim is to circulate the draft bills on the restructuring of health and social services for comments in June.

8.12.2020 | According to the government proposal, the wellbeing services counties and the City of Helsinki would be responsible for organising rescue services in their respective areas starting at the beginning of 2023. Contract fire brigades could be used to provide these services as at present. The role of central government guidance and direction in rescue services would be strengthened.

17.2.2026 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a proposal to amend the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Childcare Allowances. The proposal seeks to promote the integration and employment of women with an immigrant background and to implement the so‑called Norwegian model for child home care allowance, in line with the Government Programme of Prime Minister Petter Orpo.

8.12.2022 | The wellbeing services counties have been awarded discretionary government grants following the second application round for government grants under Finland’s Sustainable Growth Programme. In total, the counties have received nearly EUR 300 million in funding. Funding is directed especially to improving the availability and continuity of healthcare and social welfare services.

11.2.2026 | Arbetsgruppen som har berett förslaget om servicereformen inom socialvården är klar med sitt förslag. Arbetsgruppens underarbetsgrupp beredde förslaget om reformerandet av de sysselsättningsfrämjande tjänsterna inom socialvården. 

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.

Healthcare and social welfare for undocumented persons When it comes to the organisation of healthcare and social welfare, it should be noted that there are people residing both legally and illegally in Finland who are usually referred to as undoc...

15.6.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior request comments on the draft government proposal concerning the health and social services reform and the organisation of rescue services. The act would lay down provisions on, for example the organisation of rescue services, and the system of management and coordination as well as development and oversight of rescue services.

Socialvårdstjänster Social- och hälsovårdsministeriet ansvarar för socialpolitiken och bereder lagstiftningen om socialvården. Socialvården omfattar främjande av social trygghet och välfärd samt de uppgifter och den service inom socialvården som f...

10.12.2025 | 1 VTR-hankkeen väliraportti, elokuu 2025 Rahoituspäätös: VN/10469/2024 Kirsi Juhila, Henna Aalto, Tuuli Kalari, Elli Kurkikangas, Suvi Raitakari, Johanna Ranta & Jenni- Mari Räsänen KOHTI OSALLISUUTTA JA TOIMIJUUTTA TUKEVAA, VAIKUT- TAVAA AIKUISSO...

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.

Avgifter för hemservice och boendeservice Avgifterna för hemservice beror på om den service eller vård som ges i hemmet är tillfällig och kortvarig eller fortgående och regelbunden. Avgifter för kortvarig service 2026 För tillfällig service som ge...

19.2.2026 | Statistiken om välfärdsområdenas ekonomi 2025 innebär att både välfärdsområdena och staten kan ta en efterlängtad andningspaus. Diskussionen om underskott och kriser i välfärdsområdena kommer att ersättas med en positivare syn när ekonomin uppvisar ett överskott i hela landet. Men det betyder inte att vi nu löst de grundläggande problemen inom social- och hälsovården helt och hållet.

Frågor och svar om lagstiftningen om mentalvård och rusmedel Mentalvården, missbrukar- och beroendevården samt mentalvårds- och rusmedelsarbetet inom socialvården regleras främst genom hälso- och sjukvårdslagen och socialvårdslagen. I mentalvårdsl...

Every wellbeing services county belongs to one collaborative area. There are a total of five collaborative areas, each with one university hospital.

Hospitals and specialised medical care Specialized medical services, including various specialist examinations and treatments, are primarily provided in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and emergency departments. Access to specialised healthcare is ...

Healthcare and social welfare system and responsibilities Finland’s healthcare and social welfare system is founded on public healthcare and social welfare services funded from tax revenue. Alongside the public sector, private companies provide he...

Healthcare and social welfare system and responsibilities Finland’s healthcare and social welfare system is founded on public healthcare and social welfare services funded from tax revenue. Alongside the public sector, private companies provide he...

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.

Client charges in healthcare and social welfare The Government guides and directs the policy on client charges in healthcare and social welfare through legislation. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that the charges are kept at a reasonable l...

Work ability programme The aim of the work ability programme was to eliminate obstacles to the employment of people with partial work ability and develop services to support the work ability of people with partial work ability The work ability pro...

Finnish social security system The Finnish social security system includes benefits and support that protect people’s livelihoods, as well as the provision of health and social services and employment services. Social security provides income secu...

Guidance of information management in healthcare and social welfare The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the general planning, guidance and monitoring of information management within its administrative branch and for the f...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman The Finns Party Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman is responsible for all other matters covered by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, ...

Social lending Shortly The wellbeing services counties grant social loans. In Helsinki, the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division is responsible for social lending. If you would like to apply for a social loan, please contact t...

Primary healthcare Health and social services centres are the nearest and most familiar care facilities to residents, providing many of the healthcare services organised by the wellbeing services counties. Health and social services centres provid...

Hemvård Kortfattat Hemvård stöder klienternas möjligheter att bo hemma. Den kan innehålla personlig vård och omsorg samt hemsjukvård under alla tider på dygnet. Hemservice för barnfamiljer tryggar familjernas vardag till exempel i samband med förl...

Department for Communities and Functional Capacity The Department for Communities and Functional Capacity is responsible for matters related to health and social services for children, young people and families, services for people with disabiliti...

Social assistance Shortly Social assistance is a last-resort form of social security that secures the essential livelihood for an individual or a family when they cannot support themselves with other income or assets. It is a means-tested benefit,...

School health care is part of school welfare services, which also include the services of school social workers and psychologists.

Rehabilitation The aim of rehabilitation is to enhance the individual's functional capacity, independent coping, opportunities for participation, work and study ability as well as their opportunities for employment and continuing working. Rehabili...

Healthcare and social welfare for illegal residents Illegal residents mean persons who have no right of residence in Finland according to the Aliens Act. An asylum seeker’s residence in Finland is considered unauthorised when a decision to reject ...

Organisations and associations as part of the healthcare and social welfare system. There are more than 11,000 healthcare and social welfare organisations in Finland (2020). There are also a large number of organisations in the fields of sports, culture and rescue services.