Private services in Finland are used to supplement public social and health services. The production of social and health services by companies and organisations has increased continually over the last decade. In 2004, private service providers produced about a quarter of all social and health services in Finland.

The most common areas of private social service provision are housing services, child day care, institutional and family care for children and young people, and home services.

The most usual areas of private health service provision are physiotherapy, doctors and dentists, occupational health care, and laboratory services. Most private health service providers operate in southern Finland in the larger urban areas.

Patients are reimbursed by the Social Insurance Institution for a portion of the costs of private doctors' and dentists' fees.

Licensed activity

The provision of private social and health services is subject to license. Since 1 January 2009 this has been regulated by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health.