One of the duties of the public sector is to take care of the health and wellbeing of the population. This is done in part by arranging social and health services. The responsibility for organising such services lies with local government, the municipalities.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is in charge of the overall functioning of social and health services. It determines the course of the development of these services, drafts legislation and steers reform processes. It monitors the implementation and quality of services via the Regional State Administrative Agencies and the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health.

National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health
Regional State Administrative Agencies

In the short-term the development of social and health care services is being guided by the Development Programme for Social and Health Care, known as the Kaste programme.

National Development Programme for Social Welfare and Health Care (Kaste)

Prevention in order to maintain welfare and wellbeing is a key feature of Finnish social and health policy.

Social and health care in Finland is funded primarily by taxation.