National Development Plan for Social and Health Care Services . Kaste Programme 2008–2011. 80pp. (Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland, ISSN 1236-2050, 2008:6). ISBN 978-952-00-2533-5 (pb), ISBN 978-952-00-2534-2 (PDF)

According to the Act on Planning and Government Grants for Social Welfare and Health Care (733/1992) the Government adopts every four years a national development plan for social and health care services. The plan for 2008–2011 was adopted on 31 January 2008. It is called the Kaste Programme.

The preparation of the programme started in August 2007 by a broad series of hearings. The hearings, which were chiefly intended for the municipal directors of social and health care services, were arranged under the lead of Minister for Health and Social Services Paula Risikko together with the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities and the regional steering groups appointed for the preparation and implementation of the programme. Non-governmental organisations in the social and health care field and citizens were heard separately through the website www.otakantaa.fi. The draft programme was prepared under the lead of Minister Risikko in the Advisory Board for Social and Health Care.

The Kaste Programme defines the development objectives for social and health care services in the next few years and the main measures for achieving them. The programme both provides an overall picture of the guidance of municipalities during the programme period and raises the most important measures that the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES), the National Public Health Institute, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the State Provincial Offices will focus on in their work in 2008–2011 and to which other development resources are allocated.

The Annex to the programme describes the legislative reforms regarding municipal social and health care services in 2008–2011, the Government’s policy programmes, other programmes and extensive projects as well as includes a list of the recommendations and handbooks that will be issued to municipal authorities and employees during the same period of time.

The main objectives of the programme are based on the long-term strategic objectives for the administrative sector. The aim is that

the municipal inhabitants’ involvement will increase and their social exclusion will be reduced,
the municipal inhabitants’ wellbeing and health will increase, inequalities in wellbeing and health diminish, and
the quality, effectiveness and availability of services for the municipal inhabitants will improve and regional inequalities will be reduced.

The programme also raises concrete, measurable sub-objectives. The purpose is that the municipalities direct their development activities so that a change in regard to these sub-objectives will de discernible.

The aim is to achieve the objectives of the programme by prevention and early intervention (four major measures), by ensuring the sufficiency of staff and strengthening skills (three major measures), and by social and health care services functioning as an integral whole and effective models of operation (seven major measures)

The municipalities and joint municipal boards can obtain discretionary government transfer for development activities that further the implementation of these measures. In addition, STAKES, the National Public Health Institute and the Institute of Occupational Health will provide expert assistance to the municipalities in carrying out the measures. The programme is carried out together with the bodies representedin the national Advisory Board for Social and Health Care and the five regional steering groups. The task of the regional steering groups appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is to support and promote the implementation of the programme in their own areas and to draw up a regional development plan that will be based on i.a. the Kaste Programme. An exterior assessment will be started in support of the programme. The national Advisory Board will receive annually a report on the progress of the programme, and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health can adjust the measures taking into account the report.

Key words development, health care services, programme, social services