Quality requirements for medical devices meant for in vitro
diagnostics – 28 September 2000
Medical devices and equipment must fulfil the requirements set for them. The Government
issued on 28 September a Decree concerning this. The Decree lays down detailed provisions
on the essential requirements for and classification of these devices and for the
evaluation of their conformity with provisions as regards in vitro diagnostics. Devices
conforming to the earlier provisions may be marketed until 7 December 2003, and these
devices can be taken into use until 7 December 2005.
Further information:
Mr Pekka Järvinen Ministerial Adviser,
Legal Affairs
Municipalities and joint municipal boards can apply for
participation in an experiment with seamless social and health care services –
21 September 2000
At the beginning of October seven municipalities of the Satakunta Region (in
South-Western Finland), which are participating in the so called MicroPilot project,
launched an experiment aiming to improve the effectiveness of social and health services
and social security benefits, people’s independent living, privacy protection and
data security. The purpose of the experiment is to obtain savings in the long term, when
the provision of regional social and health services will become more efficient. The
experiment stresses the client’s point of view, cost-effectiveness and co-operation
between social welfare and health care. Even other Finnish municipalities and joint
municipal boards may apply to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health by the end of
November for being included in the scope of the law concerning this experiment.
Further information:
Ms Varpu-Leena Aalto Ministerial Adviser,
Legal Affairs
The position and rights of the social welfare client - 21
September 2000
The social welfare client act contains the central judicial principles regarding the
client’s social welfare participation, treatment and legal protection. The
confirmation of client’s access to information and right to self-determination allows
social welfare to originate from the needs of the client. The aim of the act is to promote
closeness to the client and the confidentiality of the client relationship as well as the
client’s right to good quality social welfare and good treatment. The act also
regulates questions related to the protection of privacy. The act concerns the status and
rights of the client both in social welfare that is organised privately and in social
welfare organised by the authorities. The act will come into force at the beginning of
January 2001.
Further information:
Ms Riitta-Maija Jouttimäki,
Ministerial Advisor
A pension negotiation group of the labour market central
organisations submits its report – 15 September 2000
The pension negotiation group of the labour market central organisations proposes
continuation of the experiment with part-time pensions until the end of 2002, as decided
earlier. The experimental lowering of the age limit for a part-time pension to 56 years
has been in force only a short time, and there is not yet enough information about its
effects. In autumn 2001 the negotiation group will survey the situation in respect of
part-time pensions and deliberate measures necessary to develop this type of pension as a
part of a larger whole. Part-time pension is a part of a wider range of methods that aim
to promote the staying in work of ageing workers and to raise the average age of
retirement in accordance with the Government Programme.
A social security agreement between Latvia and Finland
- 17.5.2000
A social security agreement between Latvia and Finland will enter into force on the
first of June. The agreement concerns all persons legally entitled to either Finnish or
Latvian social security benefits who work, reside or travel within the other country's
territory.
Further information:
Ms Marja-Terttu Mäkiranta, Senior
Officer, Legal Affairs
Improving health care through steering by information - 15.5.2000
A national three-year project on improving the health care system, "Health Care
into the 21st Century"(in Finnish: Terveydenhuolto 2000-luvulle), was started last
year in Finland. The project aims at developing better health services and a more
client-oriented service system. Although the programme is nation-wide, the priorities vary
according to the region concerned. The final report will be published in 2002.
Further information:
Ms Kirsi Viisainen, Research Officer,
Stakes
Children's welfare threatened by current trends in working life
- 14.5.2000
Children are the victims of growing pressures in working life, says Minister
Soininvaara. In his speech on Mother's Day he stated his worry about motherhood being a
burden for women in the labour market. On the one hand, Finland has a high-profile family
policy, many benefits for mothers and families with children, women participate actively
in the labour market, and the birth rate is relatively high compared with other European
countries. On the other hand, families and especially mothers with children face hard
pressures in working life because of the increased demands for working overtime and being
flexible. Also the threat of long-term unemployment and economic difficulties put pressure
especially on children, Soininvaara said.
Minister Perho: The employment pension system to be simplified -
9.5.2000
Minister Perho emphasises the need to simplify the Finnish pension system that
currently resembles a patchwork. In her speech she suggested that the social partners
start for their part paving the way for remodeling the pension system. One way to proceed
would be to merge the many laws concerning private employment pensions into one single
law. The accrual legislation ought to be modernised in order to take into account the
fragmentation of working life, fixed-term work contracts and the demands of lifelong
learning. Also the principle of transparency presupposes a simplification process, says
Minister Perho.
A seamless service chain is experimented within the region
of Satakunta - 4.5.2000
New service models will be experimented with in the field of social welfare and health
services. Parliament has been presented a bill concerning fixed-term experiments that
would better link together the social and health services and benefits received by
citizens from different agencies and facilitate electronic services in social security
matters. The experiment, that is called "A Seamless Service Chain" (in Finnish:
"Saumaton palveluketju"), would be confined to the region of Satakunta in
Western Finland. This macropilot project is scheduled to last to the year 2003.
The fixed-term act would incorporate complementary legislation in the field of social
and health protection. It would include e.g. the following:
- the citizen’s right to an ’own’ adviser (supports the co-ordination of
services and getting a comprehensive view of a person’s situation);
- launching of a social security card (citizens have access to electronic services by
means of the card, which would save time and increase efficiency);
- reference data base (enables forming a comprehensive view of the situation since the
data base would provide information about the registers in which data on a client is
available).
The project is based on the 1996 strategy for making use of information technology in
social welfare and health care and the work of the Ministry’s working groups set up
on the basis of it.
Further information:
Ms Varpu-Leena Aalto, Ministerial
Adviser, Legal Affairs
More facilities for young psychiatric patients? - 27.4.2000
The amount of serious psychiatric disorders and drug problems among minors is growing
constantly in Finland. In order to respond to the need for care a committee proposes the
establishment of two new wards, with six places in each ward, for young patients resisting
treatment. The wards should be established within a large, existing hospital with a wide
range of facilities. The committee also takes into consideration aspects related to
involuntary psychiatric care for minors.
Further information:
Mr Risto Pomoell, Ministerial Adviser
How to finance social protection? - 19.4.2000
A committee has been set up to investigate the development and financement of social
expenses in the future. Currently the ratio of social expenditure to GDP in Finland, 26%,
is about the average compared with other EU countries. However, the proportion of
workers in relation to non-workers will rapidly decrease in the future. This depends on
variables such as the unemployment rate and the age of retirement.
Further information:
Mr Tarmo Pukkila, Director-General, Insurance
Department
New approach on alcohol! - 13.4.2000
The heavy use of alcohol especially among youth continues to be a big health problem in
Finland. In 2004 the last restrictions will be abolished, which calls for a new attitude
to deal with alcohol issues. A committee is set up to find out new perspectives and
methods for alcohol education and campaigns.
Further information:
Mr Kari Paaso, Ministerial Adviser
Plans to reshape social work - 12.4.2000
A working party proposes the establishment of an advisory committee to coordinate the
remodeling of social work in Finland. More attention has to be paid to increasing the
appreciation of social work, the working party emphasises. The wage level is low and it is
increasingly difficult to recruit competent social workers.
Further information:
Mr Martti Lähteinen, Ministerial Adviser
More attention to bacteria resistant to antibiotics - 12.4.2000
The threat of antibiotics-resistant bacteria becoming more common should be dealt
with more intensely, states the committee set up to investigate the subject.
Further information:
Ms Merja Saarinen, Senior Medical Officer
A project on risk assessment at the workplace - 10.4.2000
The Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate of Oulu has just ended a half-year
project mapping out both physical and psychological risks at work. The project aims to
bring better understanding and experience of occupational safety and health issues.
Further information:
Ms Anna-Liisa Rissanen, Information
Officer
Changes proposed to the Gene Technology Act - 6.4.2000
The Government proposes a modification of the Gene Technology Act dating from
1995. The classification system for the contained use of genetically modified organisms
would be based on perceived risk. The change results from the new EC Directive 98/81/EC.
Further information:
Ms Katri Nuotio, Senior Officer
Extra resources for psychiatric care of young persons and children - 6.4.2000
50 million extra FiM will be allocated this year to psychiatric services for
under 18-year-olds. 20 million FiM more will be granted later.
Further information:
Mr Pekka Järvinen, Ministerial Adviser,
Legal Affairs
In focus: blood safety - 6.4.2000
In Finland the principle of not paying the blood donors is one reason for the safety of
Finnish blood transfusions and products. The costs of blood products are also lower than
in other Western countries. However, attention should be paid to the fact that although
there has been only one case of donation of HIV-infected blood in the two last years, the
HIV situation is rapidly getting worse in Finland.
Further information:
Ms Merja Saarinen, Senior Medical Officer
Mr Matti Lamberg, Senior Medical Officer
The future need for social and health care staff investigated
- 5.4.2000
A committee has been set up to frame a prognosis for the demand for and supply of
social and health care professionals between 2001 and 2010. The committee will also assess
the situation with regard to respective training needs. In 10 years a large proportion of
the current staff will retire. At the same time the population is getting older and needs
more social and health services.
Further information:
Ms Ritva Väistö, Senior Officer
An action programme to prevent commercial sexual abuse of
children? - 3.4.2000
A working party proposes the establishment of a national action programme in order to
prevent the sexual abuse of children. There should be e.g. an institution called
Children´s Ombudsman, clear instructions on how to proceed in cases where abuse is
suspected, sources of child porn should be investigated and a campaign launched to inform
the citizens about the criminal nature of child sex tourism.
Further information:
Ms Eva Ojala, Senior Officer