Reforms in the organisation of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

Three new departments have been established in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Apart from these changes, the Ministry’s organisation and other departments remain unchanged. The new departments will start their operations on 1 June.

The three new departments and their units are:

Department for Safety, Security and Health (TUTO)

• Wellbeing and Health Protection Unit (HYT)
• Biotechnology and Medicines Unit (BILA)
• Preparedness Unit (VAL)

Department for Communities and Functional Capacity (YTO)

• Children and Young People Unit (LANU)
• Functional Capacity Unit (TOK)
• Shared Services Unit (YPA)
• Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations STEA (an independent authority)

Department for Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare (APO)

• Service System Unit (PAL)
• Clients and Personnel Unit (ASI)

The new departments will replace the Department for Wellbeing and Services.

The Department for Safety, Security and Health will be headed by Päivi Sillanaukee, who was previously the director of the Department for Wellbeing and Services. The director positions of the Department for Communities and Functional Capacity and the Department for Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare are open for applications until 1 June with the goal to appoint the directors as soon as possible. Tuija Kumpulainen is the Acting Director of YTO and Annakaisa Iivari of APO until the new directors are appointed.

Links to the presentations of the new departments are available at the end of this press release.

Why three new departments?

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health had four departments previously. The Department for Wellbeing and Services was the biggest one of these with very large responsibilities. The department had nearly 180 employees, approximately 130 of which worked in actual Ministry duties and the remainder worked in the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations STEA operating under the department. The new departments have approximately 40–50 employees. Furthermore, STEA operates under YTO.

The new departmental division is mainly based on the previous unit division of the Department for Wellbeing and Services. The Biotechnology and Medicines Unit under the Department for Safety, Security and Health is a completely new unit that is also responsible for the extensive data protection issues in healthcare and social welfare. Minor changes have been made in the distribution of work between the other units.

In the future, each individual unit deals with both healthcare and social welfare issues. Services and preventative actions form a separate package. The promotion of wellbeing and health is reflected in the duties of all three departments and continues to be the umbrella covering the entire organisation.

The reform of the organisation and departments in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has been planned and prepared since September 2019. The Ministry’s personnel participated in the reform from the start. The new departmental division is mainly based on proposals made by Department for Wellbeing and Services employees.

"Already in the survey conducted in September 2019, the Ministry’s employees expressed that the Department for Wellbeing and Services should be divided into several departments. This change has now been implemented. The reform clarifies the Ministry’s internal distribution of duties and creates a good foundation for cooperation between all the departments of the Ministry", Permanent Secretary Kirsi Varhila says.

Note: the organisation charts and the personnel information of the new departments and their units will be updated on the Ministry’s website at a later time. Different language versions of the texts will also be published on the websites later.

Further information

Permanent Secretary Kirsi Varhila, [email protected]