Programme evaluation
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MSAH), THL and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health are jointly responsible for planning the evaluation of the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland (RRP programme) in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. THL is responsible for assessing the achievement of the national objectives and forming an overall picture in the programme. Projects receiving discretionary government transfers under the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland are responsible for evaluating their own projects.
Objectives of the programme in the administrative branch of the MSAH
In the administrative branch of the MSAH, the objectives include:
- increasing the employment rate
- accelerating access to treatment
- clearing the backlog in treatment, rehabilitation and services in healthcare and social welfare that was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
- improving the deployment of new digital solutions
- promoting regional, social and gender equality.
The European Commission and the MSAH have set indicators for each objective to assess the achievement of these objectives. Achieving the objectives is a precondition for EU funding. If the objectives are not achieved, this will have an impact on the funding EU provides to Finland. The MSAH has also outlined nationally important objectives that are monitored through evaluation.
The EU also obliges the participants to monitor developments through certain indicators common to all countries benefiting from the recovery instrument, such as employment and the number of customers using digital services. No quantitatively binding objects have been set for these. The EU only wants to monitor development.
The objectives and indicators to be assessed are set for each investment
Pillar 3
Measures in the work ability programme will be expanded to five new areas, and evidence-based practices have been described. The IPS Individual Support and Placement development project has been expanded to six new areas, and the projects have promoted the implementation of the model and created regional descriptions of the implementation of the evidence-based practice in Innokylä.
Common indicator: Number of persons employed or seeking employment in different age groups and of different genders. Participation rate in training.
Pillar 4, investment 1
The preparation for the social welfare and health care reform promotes compliance with the maximum waiting time guarantee for basic services (including in mental health services) and clears the backlog in treatment, rehabilitation and services in healthcare and social welfare that was caused by the coronavirus situation. The seven-day deadline for access to care in non-urgent treatment visits will be met in 8 cases out of 10 by the end of 2025.
Pillar 4, investment 2
Promoting the implementation of the maximum waiting time guarantee by strengthening prevention and the early identification of problems. The social welfare and health care reform will develop and introduce integrated evidence-based practices and digital service platforms for multidisciplinary services in 22 wellbeing services counties by the end of 2024.
Pillar 4, investment 3
The national up-to-date monitoring of the maximum waiting time guarantee will be implemented in all health centres by the end of 2025. National recording guidelines have been introduced in wellbeing services counties. The structural reporting model in the field of social work has been tested and adopted in national and regional data production based on the tests. Impact-based guidance and knowledge management have been piloted in national network cooperation.
Pillar 4, investment 4
Increasing the share of digital services in social welfare and health care services. 35% of the contacts will be handled remotely by electronic means by the end of 2025.
Common indicator: Customer numbers in new digital services.
THL evaluation
THL monitors and assesses the achievement of the programme’s objectives and development in the scope of common indicators using statistics and surveys. With national indicators (source: THL’s national survey data and register data), THL monitors changes in project areas in relation to the programme objectives.
THL sends investment-specific surveys to regional project organisations to remedy shortcomings related to national indicators and to monitor the common indicators. The surveys are sent to the project managers and registries of the wellbeing services counties. The project manager is responsible for responding to the surveys on time.
THL will monitor and evaluate the programme every six months in 2023–2026. The progression of the objectives will be evaluated based on the data collected. Summaries will be created based on the data. THL will regularly report the evaluation data to the MSAH, which will report them to the EU.
More information about the evaluation
Nella Savolainen
Senior Specialist
[email protected]
