Prime Minister Juha Sipilä has proposed the establishment of a new state organisation to drive the implementation of its social and health care reform programme.
Sipilä said he would like to see a unified IT system as the backbone of the national health care sector in the next few years. The PM noted that a single data system would be a prerequisite for the execution of the government’s radical social and health care reform programme.
"There’s no point now in creating any IT system that is not compatible with a patient data system. At least in the early stages this could be the role of a new state organisation," Sipilä said Saturday during a meeting of party delegates in Jyväskylä.
The PM noted that digitalization offers the only route to ensuring that Finland is widely settled – a focus on rural development has long been one of the cornerstones of Centre Party policy.
"Modern technology offers amazing opportunities for working remotely. Finnish universities have an excellent foundation for building virtual universities and health centres," he added.
Criticism for Infra Ltd.
According to Sipilä, government is already looking into setting up another state organ, Infra Ltd. It would be a completely state-owned body responsible for maintaining road networks, shipping lanes and rail lines.
That controversial reform proposal – first tabled by Transport and Communication Minister Anne Berner last week – has been the subject of harsh criticism from the opposition, as well as from coalition partner, the Finns Party.
"I don’t understand why incorporation is such a bogey man. For example the city of Helsinki has numerous corporations," Sipilä pointed out.
The premier stressed that the proposal is still being reviewed and noted that government will adopt a formal position on the matter only after the conclusion of commenting rounds.
"The Centre Party is committed to safeguarding public transportation and taxi services throughout the country in the future as well," Sipilä declared.