The health and social services reform transfers the responsibility for organising health and social services to self-governing regions that are larger than municipalities. In total, there will be 18 autonomous counties. Provisions on the functioning, finances and governance of the counties will be laid down by a separate act. Decision-making power in the regions will rest with directly elected councillors. Rescue operations and prehospital care will be among the tasks to be transferred to counties in the first phase.