People are losing confidence in Finland's public healthcare system, according to a new government agency survey.
In 2024, only about half of Finns reported trusting the country's health services, and even fewer expressed confidence in social services. That's according to the latest Terve Suomi report (roughly translated as Healthy Finland) published by the Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
At the same time, two out of three health service users and just over half of social service customers described their most recent appointment as a positive experience. This suggests some variation in individuals' personal experiences as opposed to their views on the system as a whole.
Last year, only about half of Finns said they trust the functioning of health services, a steep drop from 76 percent in 2020. Trust in social services has also fallen, from 60 percent to just 42 percent during the same period.
A sweeping social and healthcare reform known as sote took effect at the beginning of 2023 with the establishment of 21 wellbeing services counties
"Restoring trust is one of the defining issues for the future of the social and health care system. Without trust, the system's very legitimacy is at stake," THL chief researcher Liina-Kaisa Tynkkynen said in a statement.
The report found that in 2024, one in four people who needed a doctor felt they did not receive adequate care. This means that more than 800,000 people in Finland experienced public medical services as falling short.
The THL survey, drawing responses from nearly 27,000 people, serves as a tool for guiding policy decisions.
A recent episode of the All Points North podcast asked whether you need private health insurance in Finland today.
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