Guidance for municipalities on critical healthcare and social welfare services during the COVID-19 epidemic
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health points out that municipalities must also provide healthcare and social welfare services during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Even though Finland now faces emergency conditions, municipalities must continue to provide healthcare and social welfare services to ensure people’s safety and help them cope with everyday life.
Municipalities must consider carefully whether to reduce basic public services. Active and sufficiently extensive operation of basic public services ensures that specialised medical care is able to focus on the treatment of patients requiring specialised medical care and that the health of any population group does not deteriorate unnecessarily. It is particularly important to ensure that those in the most vulnerable position have access to services.
Municipalities must also actively provide information on their services to avoid any critical delays in people seeking care or accessing services. People are advised to seek medical care before their symptoms get worse and stick to their scheduled follow-up appointments.
To ensure access to basic public services under these emergency conditions, it is necessary to adopt new practices and promote wider use of remote services. .
Read more about the guidance for municipalities on critical healthcare and social welfare services during the COVID-19 epidemic (Kuntainfo 4/2020 available in Finnish and Swedish).
Inquiries:
Soila Karreinen, Senior Medical Officer (healtcare services), tel. +358 295 163 491
Arja Ruponen, Ministerial Adviser (preventive services), tel. +358 295 163 169
Kirsi Kaikko, Senior Specialist (social services), tel. +358 295 163 545