Pohjanmaa plans talks as hospital and elderly care change
Thursday 27th August 2026 on 13:15 in
Finland
The Pohjanmaa wellbeing services county plans to begin cooperation negotiations over changes to hospital and elderly care services, Yle reports. The proposed changes would affect about 95 employees or public officeholders.
The plans include a new 17-bed acute general medicine ward at the central hospital. At most 18 specialised care beds would be cut, while the total number of general medicine beds would decrease by 11. The general medicine wards could increase their capacity when necessary.
The changes are intended to improve the flow of patients between specialised care, primary care and residential services. Some patients currently remain in general medicine wards while waiting for a place in residential care, even though they no longer need ward treatment.
The proposed new ward would also serve as a teaching ward. The changes to hospital services would affect surgical ward three, the emergency ward and the general medicine ward in Mustasaari.
The number of places in 24-hour residential care for older people would increase by 34, while the number of respite care places would fall by 18. The changes would affect the Solgård, Helmiina, Venny, Elvi, Wilhelmiina and Emma residential units. The wellbeing services county is also examining whether it could open places for people with dementia-related challenging behavioural symptoms.
The aim is to ensure that older people receive a residential care place within the three-month deadline required by law, according to the proposal.
In Vaasa, Laihia and Mustasaari, the county would have 487 of its own residential care places. It would continue to have 399 places provided through purchased services.
Personnel director Juha Suikkanen said the impact on staff numbers could not yet be determined. He said the negotiations would primarily concern changes to operations, work duties and workplaces, with the aim of finding suitable roles for everyone after the changes.
The 2027 budget also includes personnel savings of one million euros. The county intends to achieve these savings through natural attrition.
The regional board will consider the proposed changes at its meeting on Monday.