Welfare basic security and health

The welfare, safe environment and civil rights of citizens constitute a single concept in the securing of citizens’ welfare services. The State Provincial Office promotes the development of social and health care services in cooperation with local authorities according to national objectives and promotes preventive social and health care policy.

In social and health care services, the expert bodies of the State provincial Office are the advisory board on war veteran matters, the disabled persons working group, the Advisory Board on Romani Affairs, customer cooperation advisory boards in each hospital district, occupational health care and labour protection joint committees, and the VIRVE/emergency response centre advisory boards of the social and health care services.

Licence for private service providers

The State Provincial Office grants licences to private service providers of 24-hour social services and private health care services. It directs and supervises the provision of municipal and private social and health care services and the activities of the service providers. The State Provincial Office also ensures that the public and private social and health care services provided and the work done by professionals in these services are of the quality required by law.

Main implementer of alcohol policy

The State Provincial Office is the main implementer of and actor on alcohol policy. The State Provincial Office grants beer and wine licences and supervises the on-premises sales and off-premises retail sale of alcoholic beverages within its area. The State Provincial Office grants extension of time permits for restaurants and, from the beginning of 2005, will also issue spirits licences. Through administration and supervision of licences and permits, the State Provincial Office secures the reliability of services and prevents the emergence of alcohol related social and heath effects.

Prevention of environmental health risks

Environmental health care involves health protection, veterinary services and food supervision. The goal is good-quality drinking water, a healthy living and working environment, safe foods and consumer goods, and functioning veterinary services. The State Provincial Office guides the supervision of the safety and quality of foods and other products. It also guides the supervision of production conditions of animal-based foods.

The duties of social and health care services and environmental health care

• planning, control and supervision of social welfare, national health work and special health care;
• licences for producers of private social and health care services and supervision of professionals;
• control and supervision of health protection:
• licences for on-premises sales and off-premises retail sales of alcoholic beverages, extension of time permits for restaurants, and supervision;
• control and supervision of food safety;
• control and supervision of veterinary services and of animal protection;
• appeals by and legal protection matters concerning individuals;
• control and supervision of the safety of consumer goods and consumer services;
• forensic medicine duties, forensic autopsies;
• awarding special state grants and compensation in social and health care services;
• awarding state grants for establishment and development projects in social and health care services;
• the State Provincial Office off Southern Finland co-ordinates EU projects and provincial cooperation in social and health care services.