The Social Services, Health Care, and Rescue Services Division’s preparations for incidents and emergencies are mainly appropriate, but based on the findings, development work should continue in the future.

The city’s substance abuse services have facilitated access to treatment for people with drug dependencies through many reforms that have improved access to opioid substitution and detoxification treatment. The impact of the reforms on access to other substance abuse services could not be assessed because the reforms have only been in place for a very brief period and comparable statistical data were not available. Services for people suffering from drug dependence can also reduce the harm caused by drug use and improve the amenity and safety of the surrounding area, but facilities are lacking.

The city’s national advocacy has developed with the mayor model over the last two strategic periods.

Action has been taken on 94% of the recommendations from the 2021 assessment report.

Maternity and child health services aim to meet the individual needs of families. However, families do not always receive specialised support quickly enough, and there is room for improvement in the continuity of care.

Action has been taken on 90% of the recommendations from the 2020 assessment report.

The Education Division has taken many steps to improve student well-being and increase their sense of community. However, the services of student welfare psychologists are not easily accessible, and there is a waiting list for further treatment.

The city has worked to improve adults’ access to early-stage mental health services, e.g. by training staff and opening more Mieppi low-threshold mental health units. The impact of the new tools introduced through training has yet to translate into faster access to care for clients.

The recommendations the Audit Committee issued in 2019 usually led to measures.

51 per cent of the binding operation objectives were achieved. The prolongation of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the achievement of the objectives of the Education Division and the Social Services and Health Care Division in particular.

Efforts have been made to develop home care in the last few years, but most of the objectives have not been achieved. Home care’s most prominent issue is the shortage of personnel. Linguistic equality is not realised due to the lack of Swedish-speaking nursing personnel.

The city has strived to promote mental health rehabilitees’ access to housing services by turning the Aurora Hospital’s wards of rehabilitative psychiatry into housing units and by increasing the service selection of housing services in the competitive tendering of purchased services. However, the number of people on the waiting list for housing services has not decreased.

Home care and service housing have introduced a guidebook for emergency situations and the mobile nurse service, but they are not utilised to their full potential. Closer cooperation should be established when discharging patients from hospital.

Access to non-urgent care is provided at health stations mainly within the time limits prescribed by law, but not in accordance with Helsinki’s own objectives or in an equal manner.

The electronic health care services are high quality, but not all residents of the municipality are able to use them. Because of this, the availability of traditional service channels must also be ensured in the future.

The oral health care services of the City of Helsinki are high quality, but access to care has been difficult, particularly due to problems in making contact and the lack of non-urgent appointments.

The family centre model has increased cooperation between different professionals according to the objectives. Family centre work is just beginning in several areas of Helsinki, and there are still needs for development.