The physicians’ strike came to an end on 17th August 2001. After
voting, the Finnish Medical Association’s delegation approved a new municipal
physicians’ agreement by 42 votes to eleven. The Board of the Association recommended
unanimously that the proposal be approved. The official estimate of the agreement’s effect on costs is
10.5 per cent over an agreement period of two years. In addition, clear improvements were
made to the wording which will bring financial benefits and will be carried out
at local level. The 23-week-long strike had begun on 12th March 2001 and
involved doctors in the municipal sector. An
average of just under 800 physicinas were on strike in any one week during the dispute. The Finnish Medical Association attached considerable importance to
the fact that the agreement was fair to both the hospital and health centre sectors and
different categories of doctors.The parties undertook to pay particular
attention to the problems faced by the busiest emergency centres. The physicians’ agreement included distinct increases at
the lower end of the salary tables in particular. For example, on 1st September 2001,
there will be a 20.7 per cent increase in the lower limit of salaries for specialising
doctors who have worked for four years. As regards the wording, it was proposed, inter alia, that a study be
made of ways of developing remuneration systems that reward doctors for results. This
relates in part to the development of an intervention fee system. The Finnish Medical Association hopes that the problems of public health
care and their resolution will now begin to be tackled in earnest. The physicians’
strike was one consequence and symptom of the crisis in health care. The share of GNP
devoted to health care in Finland is one of the lowest in the EU.PHYSICIANS’ STRIKE IN FINLAND IN 2001
A fair agreement
Förbund
The Finnish Medical Association -
Health Care and the Medical Profession in Finland
Association
