A clear majority of people in Finland say that their local health services have deteriorated since the sweeping social and healthcare reform, known as sote. It took effect at the beginning of 2023 with the establishment of 21 wellbeing services counties.
Nearly 60 percent of respondents in a survey published on Saturday said that healthcare services in their home municipalities have worsened in the past two years, while only three percent said that they have improved. The poll was conducted for the independent Foundation for Municipal Development (Kaks).
In almost all population groups, at least half of respondents said that health services in their municipality had gone downhill. Middle-aged people and those approaching retirement age were more likely to see a worsening in services. Those in paid employment, those living in rural municipalities, and those in Eastern and Northern Finland were particularly convinced of this.
Supporters of governing parties split
Supporters of the Finns Party, one of the main government partners, and the opposition Left Alliance said more often than others that access to health services had deteriorated.
Although many believe that the availability of health and social services has deteriorated since the beginning of 2023, many are still quite satisfied with the current situation. Forty-two percent said they were very or quite satisfied with the health services in their municipality, while 33 percent were more or less dissatisfied.
People aged 61 and over were more satisfied than average with the availability and accessibility of health services in their municipalities.
Based on party support, backers of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s National Coalition Party and the main opposition Social Democratic Party are more satisfied than others. Supporters of the Finns Party and the Left Alliance were more vocal about criticising the availability of health services in their municipality.
Last month Yle reported that more than half of Finland's healthcare regions, or counties, have been unable to balance their budgets, with many posting heavy financial losses.
The research was carried out for Kaks by pollster Verian, which interviewed just over 1,000 adults in late November and early December. The margin of error is just under three percentage points.