Promoting welfare and public health

We enforce the implementation of the statutory duties of local authorities in the promotion of welfare and public health. Local authorities must appoint the parties responsible for the promotion of welfare and public health. Local authorities must monitor the welfare and health of municipal residents and the factors affecting them by population group. 

Reports on the welfare and health of municipal residents and the measures taken must be submitted to the municipal council every year. Also, a more extensive welfare report must be prepared for the municipal council once every council term.

In their strategic planning, local authorities must set goals for the promotion of welfare and public health based on local circumstances and define the actions supporting those goals on the basis of municipality-specific welfare and public health indicators. The various branches of local government must cooperate in the promotion of welfare and public health.

Local authorities must cooperate with other public entities operating in their municipalities, with private companies and with non-profit corporations. In cases where health care and social services are jointly arranged by several local authorities, the local government joint services area must participate in an expert role in the cooperation between various sectors and in the social and health impact assessment in the municipalities involved.

Furthermore, local authorities must take action to promote the welfare of municipal residents and to compile an annual report assessing the state of public health, the measures taken and their effectiveness. Preliminary impact assessment (PIA) of local authority decisions is a method for considering in advance how decisions under preparation would affect the lives of various groups of people. The preliminary impact assessment serves to direct decision-making and the implementation of decisions. In their decision-making and when preparing for plan implementation, local authorities and hospital district joint municipal authorities must assess and take account of the impacts of these decisions and plans on the health and social welfare of the population.

Hospital district joint municipal authorities must offer expertise and support to local authorities by

• arranging training,
• collecting welfare and health monitoring data and
• providing local authorities with information on proven operating models and good practices related to the prevention of illnesses and problems.

The regional strategies and plans for the promotion of welfare and public health must be prepared in cooperation with local authorities while considering the operations of the various branches of local government within each municipality.