Final report of the regional government, health and social services reform

Abstract

The aim of the regional government, health and social services reform that started in 2015 was to provide people with services on a more equal basis than before, level out differences in health and wellbeing and curb cost increases. The reform sought to reinforce basic services and utilise digital services better than before. The reform also aimed at bridging a large part of the sustainability gap in general government finances. The Government's aim was to save EUR 10 billion, of which approximately EUR 3 billion was meant to be covered through the reform in healthcare and social services by 2029.

The large reform involved sizeable legislative drafting work and preliminary national and regional preparation for the implementation.

The implementation work for the reform was carried out in the ministries, agencies and institutions in different administrative branches, regional projects and service centres. The preparatory work for the regional government, health and social services reform was implemented in cross-ministry and intersectoral cooperation and close interaction with people engaged in the preparation in the counties.

The scale of the regional government, health and social services reform, its social significance and engagement in people's everyday services made the reform an exceptional project for the Government. The objectives of the reform were ambitious and the size of the reform was unprecedented in Finnish administrative history.

Preparations for the regional government, health and social services reform continued until 8 March 2019. At the time, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s Government resigned and preparations concerning the regional government, health and social services reform could no longer be continued.