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Freedom of choice pilot projects

Pilot projects will help to extend freedom of choice in health and social services.

Freedom of choice pilot projects will support the implementation of the Freedom of Choice Act even before the Act enters into force. The freedom of choice pilot projects will be piloting either health and social services centres or personal budgeting. Piloting on health and social services centres will focus on how often a client can change the centre of his or her choice.

Freedom of choice pilot projects can be launched in counties between autumn 2017 and 30 June 2018. Pilot projects can continue until the end of 2022. Piloting shall be carried out, at the minimum, by using a limited model of a health and social services centre (offering primary health care services and social service guidance).  The health and social services centres must offer a full range of services by 1 January 2023.

The Government will allocate government transfers to new pilot projects, and ministries will also give counties support and instructions for the implementation of the Act. 

Municipalities and joint municipal authorities can by mutual decision apply to a pilot project. The pilot projects shall cover at least 80 percent of the population in the county but the objective is to achieve 100 percent coverage. In exceptional cases, 50 percent of the population in the county can be enough.

In addition to freedom of choice pilot projects, there are also service voucher experiments already going on. They form part of a key project called Services responsive to customer needs.

 

Inquiries:

Kirsi Varhila, Director-General, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. 0295 163 338, forename.lastname@stm.fi
Maria Porko, Lawyer, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. 0295 163 417, forename.lastname@stm.fi