Perceptions of the quality of public services have declined, according to a survey by JHL. Photo: Markku Ulander / Lehtikuva
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Public confidence in Finland’s healthcare system has fallen significantly, with only half of respondents expressing trust in its functioning, according to a new survey from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
The results come from THL’s Terve Suomi (Healthy Finland) report, based on responses from nearly 27,000 people nationwide. The study revealed that only 50 percent of Finns trust the health system, down from 76 percent in 2020.
Trust in social services declined as well, from 60 percent to 42 percent over the same period.
The decline in confidence follows the implementation of a wide-ranging healthcare reform known as sote, which came into force in January 2023. The reform created 21 regional wellbeing services counties responsible for organising health and social services.
Liina-Kaisa Tynkkynen, chief researcher at THL, said the findings raise serious questions about the sustainability of the current system.
“Restoring trust is one of the defining issues for the future of the social and health care system. Without trust, the system’s very legitimacy is at stake,” Tynkkynen said in a statement.
Although general trust levels have dropped, individual experiences paint a more varied picture. Two out of three respondents who used health services reported a positive experience with their most recent appointment. Just over half of social service users said the same.
Despite these individual accounts, the report found that one in four people who needed medical attention in 2024 believed they did not receive adequate care. That represents over 800,000 people across the country.
THL uses the Terve Suomi survey to track long-term trends and to inform policymakers. The results reflect public sentiment one year into the operation of the new wellbeing services model.
The survey also found regional and demographic differences in trust and satisfaction levels, although those details were not included in the main findings. The broader implication, THL noted, is that structural changes alone have not translated into improved public confidence.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
