Pharmacy staff shortages ease in Finland but economic strain looms

A long-standing shortage of pharmacists in Finnish pharmacies has eased, according to the Finnish Pharmacists’ Association, which regularly monitors the situation through surveys.

Association director Inka Puumalainen said the improvement is nationwide, though some regions still struggle to attract applicants. She noted that welfare regions have cut pharmacist positions, particularly in medication safety coordination, shifting labour back toward pharmacies.

In Vaasa, where bilingual requirements and the lack of local training once made recruitment difficult, pharmacies report better staffing. Yvonne Kjellman, pharmacist at Vaasa Central Pharmacy, said her team recently hired a new pharmacist this summer. “We had shortages a few years ago, but the situation is now quite good,” she said.

Kjellman added that hospitals had previously drawn pharmacists away with new ward-based roles, a trend that contributed to the earlier shortages. Antti Isotalo, chief pharmacist at Vaasa Central Hospital, confirmed that while ward pharmacy has expanded rapidly in Finland over the past 15 years, the number of pharmacists in the Ostrobothnia welfare region has slightly declined in the past decade.

Anja Borgmästars, pharmacist at Vaasa’s Old Pharmacy, also noted improved access to temporary staff, though her own need for pharmacists has decreased since a new pharmacy opened near the central hospital in 2022, reducing customer numbers.

Economic pressures may now complicate hiring. A 36 million euro cut to prescription drug reimbursements at the start of 2026 has strained pharmacy finances, particularly for smaller operators. Puumalainen warned that some pharmacies may struggle to replace departing staff, while Borgmästars said cost concerns are making employers more cautious in recruitment.

Yle reported in May that a record number of pharmacies in Finland have closed or are set to close this year.