Preparedness for emergencies to be reinforced in healthcare and social welfare

Preparedness for emergencies to be reinforced in healthcare and social welfare

The Government is proposing to Parliament a legislative amendment that would oblige the wellbeing services counties to prepare for the use and threat of military force. The amendment concerns the Act on Organising Healthcare and Social Welfare Services, and it aims to ensure close cooperation between the wellbeing services counties and the Finnish Defence Forces in both normal and emergency conditions.

The government proposal applies to executive assistance provided by the counties to the Finnish Defence Forces, the Finnish Border Guard and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and to the cooperation between the counties and the Defence Forces and its funding.

Wellbeing services counties would be obliged to prepare for the use of military force

The legislative amendment would oblige the counties to prepare for the use and threat of military force. Preparedness in each county would be specified by government decision based on the needs of the Defence Forces. The level of preparedness and related responsibilities would not be the same in all counties, but instead the responsibilities could vary depending on factors such as geography.

"The Finnish Defence Forces rely almost entirely on the healthcare and social welfare service system both under normal conditions and when there is a threat of war or during times of war. For this reason, it is crucial for Finland's defence capability that we raise the level of preparedness in healthcare," says Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

Continuation of measures to strengthen preparedness in wellbeing services counties

The amendment would build on another recent legislative amendment that also concerns the Act on Organising Healthcare and Social Welfare Services. The purpose of the amendment approved in June is to prepare for incidents affecting more than one wellbeing services county and for incidents on a national scale.

This amendment strengthened the role of the five collaborative areas for healthcare and social welfare formed by the counties when it comes to preparedness and readiness in healthcare and social welfare. The amendment clarified management and decision-making in healthcare and social welfare in the event of incidents under normal conditions, and in emergency conditions.

• Government proposal (in Finnish)

Inquiries:

Pekka Tulokas, Director for Preparedness, tel. +358 295 163 202

Niilo Heinonen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Social Security, tel. +358 295 163 603

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