Learning from Finland: Preparedness in the Healthcare Sector

Projects Hospeem 17 September 2026

On 10-11 September 2026 HOSPEEM organised a study visit to Local Government and County Employers (KT). As part of the EU-funded BRIDGES project, our first study visit in Helsinki, Finland, brought together healthcare employers from Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Latvia and Portugal to exchange experiences and practical approaches to preparedness.

KT’s CEO Henrika Nybondas-Kangas welcomed the participants and explained the current state of play on preparedness in Finland.

In her speech, HOSPEEM Secretary General Sylvie Slangen highlighted the importance of capacity-building among employers’ organisations and the exchange of good practices on the topic.

Overall, over 1.5 days, participants:

learned about the work of KT and the role of social dialogue in Finland;
visited Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) to learn more about preparedness in the Finnish healthcare system;
heard from the Wellbeing Services County of North Karelia about preparedness and the role of exercises in strengthening readiness in practice;
exchanged good practices and experiences with Portuguese Association of Private Hospitals (APHP) and Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR);
took part in a tour de table, with participants from Belgium and Latvia sharing their national perspectives and approaches to preparedness;
discussed the latest developments at EU level, with a particular focus on the EU Preparedness Union Strategy and its relevance for social partners in the hospital and healthcare sector.

The study visit provided a valuable opportunity to learn from Finland’s experience, share approaches across countries, and identify common challenges and opportunities for strengthening preparedness in healthcare.

A big thank you to our Finnish hosts and to all colleagues who contributed their expertise and openly shared their experiences. It was a great start to the BRIDGES study visits and an important step towards strengthening cooperation on building more resilient and prepared healthcare systems across Europe.

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