Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö Social- och hälsovårdsministeriet

The aims of Finnish social and health policy are set out in the MSAH document  Strategies for Social Protection 2015 and in the government programme.

The vision for 2015 is for Finland to be a vibrant, economically sustainable, efficient and dynamic society.

• The basis of the Finnish social protection system will be a comprehensive collective responsibility.
• Finland will play an active part in shaping European social policy.
• The bases of wellbeing will be maintaining working and functional capacity, adequate income security and self-initiative.
• The functional capacity and social wellbeing of the population will have improved.
• Health inequalities between population groups will have been reduced.
• People will remain in working life on average for three years longer.
• Poverty and unemployment will have been reduced.
• Gender equality will have strengthened.
• The perspective of promoting health and welfare will have become established in social policy.
• The availability, quality and effectiveness of services will have been improved.
• Income security will guarantee adequate incomes and be an incentive to work.
• The sustainable financing of social protection will be based on collective responsibility, supplemented by individual responsibility.

These goals are to be attained by four strategic points of emphasis:

• Promoting health and functional capacity
• Making work more attractive
• Reducing poverty and social exclusion
• Providing efficient services and reasonable income security.

Strategic lines in practice

The strategic points of emphasis appear in practice in a range of programmes, projects and recommendations. These strategies also support the planning of activities and finances, budget preparations and the guidance and management in the various agencies of the administrative sector.