Central Finland targets surplus but plans 61 million euros in savings

Central Finland’s wellbeing services county is proposing a 2027 budget with a surplus of 31 million euros, but still plans 61 million euros in savings. Yle reported that the county must also cover a 304 million euro accumulated deficit by the end of 2030.

The proposed budget puts total spending at about 1.4 billion euros next year. The county’s acting director, Lasse Leppä, said the aim was to reform services and working practices so residents receive help at the right time and in the right place.

Staff could be moved across the county

The proposal would make the entire wellbeing services county the work area for all staff, a change affecting about 7,500 employees, most of them in healthcare. The Tehy trade union opposes the plan.

Chief shop steward Anne Puronaho said similar proposals had been raised in other wellbeing services counties, but Central Finland was furthest along. Under the plan, an employer could, for example, move a nurse working at Sairaala Nova hospital in Jyväskylä to Äänekoski if needed.

The county also expects to reduce staffing by 492 person-years next year. It aims to achieve the cuts through natural attrition, the end of fixed-term contracts and unfilled positions. The current round of co-operation negotiations, the county’s ninth, is due to continue until November.

Residents to be assigned a doctor and nurse

During 2027, every resident of Central Finland is to be assigned a personal doctor and nurse. The county says the change is intended to improve continuity of care and direct people to the appropriate service. Digital care pathways, remote appointments and services delivered at home will also be expanded.

The proposal does not include major changes to the healthcare service network, but it would reduce the opening hours of urgent care in Jämsä. Residential care units for older people at Kotisatama in Suolahti, Äänekoski, and Liisan ja Antin pirtti in Lievestuore, Laukaa, are to close when their leases end. The budget would allocate 1.2 million euros more to support for family caregivers than the 2026 budget.

Deficit still requires further cuts

Central Finland remains the country’s most financially strained wellbeing services county, according to the article. It must cover about 304 million euros in deficits accumulated in previous years by the end of 2030. The proposed surplus and savings alone will not be enough to meet that deadline at the current pace.

Leppä said the county’s 2025 financial result was better than expected and its finances in the first part of 2026 had also performed slightly better than planned. He said the situation showed that the state funding system was not working as intended.

The budget proposal will next be considered by committees and the county executive. The county council is due to decide on the 2027 budget on 8 December.