Finnish psychologist avoids conviction after working without licence due to undelivered notification

A district court in Kanta-Häme has dismissed charges against a psychologist who unknowingly practised for over a month without a valid licence after failing to receive official notification of its revocation, reports Yle.

The woman worked as a school psychologist in the Kanta-Häme wellbeing services region for just over a month before her employment was terminated during the probationary period when her employer discovered she no longer held a valid licence.

Finland’s National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) had issued a temporary ban in late March 2024, later extended indefinitely, prohibiting her from practising as a psychologist. However, the court found no evidence that she had received the decision.

The psychologist claimed the email notification may have gone to an old, unused inbox, while a posted letter could have been delivered to her previous address following a recent move. She told the court she had been unaware of any final decision, though she knew Valvira had been reviewing her professional fitness due to concerns raised years earlier about her work capacity.

Under Finnish law, conviction for unauthorised practice requires proof of intent. As prosecutors could not demonstrate she had knowingly violated the ban, Kanta-Häme District Court dismissed the charges in late April.

Valvira may revoke or restrict a healthcare professional’s licence if patient safety is at risk, with substance abuse accounting for 50–60% of such cases annually. In 2025, 161 social welfare and healthcare professionals lost their licences.