Search

9.1.2026 | Radical Health Festival, Europe’s leading health sector event, will take place in Helsinki from 19 to 21 January 2026, offering an international setting for leading health sector experts to discuss how to leverage artificial intelligence and data in healthcare. The event will gather professionals, decision-makers and businesses in the field to accelerate renewal in health and social services.

21.5.2025 | The employment rate of registered nurses and practical nurses is high, with more than 90 per cent of graduates finding work in the social welfare and health care sector. Unemployed nurses cannot be relied on to respond to the future labour shortage in the sector. People who have sought employment in other sectors represent the most significant resource of unutilised workforce. Some relief can also be provided by pensioners for whom working is increasingly common.

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.

15.2.2021 | Labour shortage in the health and social services sector is already high and likely to grow in the future. It is therefore very important to increase the attractiveness of the sector and improve working conditions. The role of the private sector as an employer must also be recognised better. 

23.11.2023 | The minimum staffing level for care personnel in units providing 24-hour care for older people will rise from the current minimum level of 0.65 employees per client to 0.7 employees per client on 1 January 2028. During the transition period, the service structure will be developed and a number of measures will be taken to improve the availability of healthcare and social welfare personnel. 

1.12.2020 | Research and innovation activities in the health sector will be developed in a target-oriented way in 2020–2023. People’s health and wellbeing will be improved through research and technological development. Steps will also be taken to advance Finland’s international position as a forerunner in health sector research and innovation, investment and new business.

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.

21.8.2020 | On 21 August, Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru and Estonia’s Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik signed a cooperation document. The cooperation document aims at further strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the field of digitalisation and innovation in the social and health sector.

4.3.2026 | Finland’s new national report to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity shows that the work to halt biodiversity loss is heading in the right direction. Progress has been made in almost all sectors, but measures need to be upscaled in the protection, restoration and management of nature. Besides this, actions that cause biodiversity loss must be avoided or mitigated. Awareness of the importa...

11.2.2021 | The number of new COVID-19 cases has remained at the same level as the week before. Finland has succeeded in curbing the epidemic in many regions. Despite this, the virus has spread throughout the country, and new cases have been reported in large numbers in many hospital districts.

25.11.2021 | The short-term expectations of SMEs in the healthcare and social services sector have become increasingly positive since 2020.

11.2.2020 | The National Mental Health Strategy includes five focus areas and will lay the foundation for the mental health policy of the coming years. The strategy was published on 11 February, when the expert group chaired by Professor Sami Pirkola submitted the strategy to Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru.

3.4.2020 | In the coronavirus situation, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health urges the municipalities and social welfare units to pay special attention to appropriate action and prevention of the coronavirus in housing service units providing 24-hour care.

25.2.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has appointed a coordination group to support preparedness and management in healthcare and social welfare because of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

7.4.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has issued instructions on which persons employed in the healthcare and social welfare sector may be subject to temporary derogations from the provisions of the Annual Holidays Act, the Working Hours Act and the Employment Contracts Act. The Government issued a decree on temporary derogations on 6 April 2020. The Decree is in force until 13 May 2020.

11.6.2019 | Influencers in digital healthcare and health technology will meet in Helsinki 11-13 June for the international HIMSS & Health 2.0 Conference. The event will now be organised in Finland for the first time.

22.5.2019 | HIMSS & Health 2.0 European Conference is the foremost event in digital healthcare in Europe and will be held in Finland for the first time on 11-13 June 2019. The event will bring together the most progressive innovations in digital healthcare, businesses in the sector, experts, decision-makers and start-ups.

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.

17.12.2021 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health requests comments on a draft government proposal according to which the nationwide use of the EU Digital COVID Certificate, i.e. the COVID-19 passport, would also be possible by law when there are no restrictions in force.