Type
Internal restructuring
Country
Finland
Region
Manner-Suomi; Länsi-Suomi; Keski-Suomi
Location of affected unit(s)
Sector
Health / Social work
86 - Human health activities
86.1 - Hospital activities
86.10 - Hospital activities

490 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
20 November 2025
Employment effect (start)
1 January 2026
Foreseen end date
31 December 2026

Description

The Wellbeing Services County of Central Finland, which provides health, social and rescue services, has concluded cooperation negotiations covering its entire workforce of approximately 12,500 employees. The negotiations identify the need to reduce up to 490 positions, but not all of these will result in direct dismissals. The county reports that part of the reductions will be achieved through retirements, non-renewal of fixed-term contracts and working-time reductions, including the transition of around 25 employees to part-time roles. The cooperation negotiations comprised all employees in the wellbeing services county.

The budget deficit of the Wellbeing Services County of Central Finland is estimated to be €81 million in 2025. As part of savings measures, services provided in the peripheral areas of the Wellbeing Services County are shut down and centralised. According to the representative of trade union for health care professionals Tehy, the commute can be too costly for some of the laid off staff to accept the new jobs as part of the proceedings.

In addition to direct dismissals, the Wellbeing Services County is implementing temporary lay-offs affecting both management and employees, excluding staff of round-the-clock patient care. Some outsourcing of functions is also being prepared.

The Wellbeing Services Counties are a regional government body formed in 2023, responsible for health, rescue, and social services. The wellbeing regions have a statutory requirement to patch up budget deficits by the end of 2026, which has resulted in drastic cost savings in many welfare regions, most recently in South Savo see Wellbeing Services County of South Savo 2025 - FI , Pirkanmaa see Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa 2025 - FI and Lapland see Wellbeing Services County of Lapland 2025 - FI .

Prior to the lay-offs, the wellbeing services county of Central Finland had 12,500 employees.


Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2025), The Wellbeing Services County of Central Finland , Internal restructuring in Finland, factsheet number 203751, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/203751.