Wellbeing services counties of Finland

The wellbeing services counties (Finnish: hyvinvointialue, Swedish: välfärdsområde, Northern Sami: buresveadjinguovlu, Inari Sami: pyereestvaijeemkuávlu, Skolt Sami: pueʹrrvââjjamvuʹvdd)[1] are public bodies separate from the municipalities of Finland and the Finnish Government following the social reform instigated by the Marin Cabinet, each of which has self-government within its territory.[2] On 23 June 2021, Parliament approved bills on social and health care reform. According to the law on the implementation of the reform, the tasks and organizational responsibility of social and health care and rescue services will be transferred from the municipalities to the counties on 1 January 2023.[3] The first elections to the councils were held in January 2022.

In order to implement regional co-operation and an appropriate service structure, five co-operation areas will be formed from the counties,[4] which correspond to the current special areas of responsibility of university hospitals.[5]

Each county organizes the tasks prescribed for it by law, which at the beginning of the activity are the organization of social and health care and rescue services. A county may also perform functions in its territory that support its statutory functions, such as international activities and the protection of the mutual interests of the counties. It may engage in a low-risk business in its territory or in conjunction with another county that supports the performance of its statutory functions. Under an agreement, the counties can carry out their tasks together. The forms of co-operation are a joint institution, a joint post, an agreement on the performance of official duties and a wellbeing consortium. The business of a consortium can only be the provision of support services. Responsibility for organizing cannot be delegated to a consortium.[2]