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1. Referring to its previous comments the Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report and in particular the information on the application of Article 2, paragraph 3, of the Convention, with regard to the consultation of employers' and workers' organisations concerned in the formulation of policies concerning nursing services and nursing personnel. It would be grateful if the Government would supply additional information on the following points:

2. Article 5, paragraph 1, of the Convention (participation of nursing personnel in the planning of nursing services and consultation of such personnel on decisions concerning them).

(a) With reference to its previous direct request, the Committee notes with interest from the Government's reply that the Act respecting the co-determination in state offices and agencies, No. 651 of 1988, came into effect on 1 October 1988 and that in accordance with that Act, the Ministry of Finance and the central employees' organisations have reached a joint agreement which includes, inter alia, provisions on the participation of health-care personnel in co-determination in state establishments and on the arrangement of internal information systems. The Government has also referred to a joint nation-wide recommendation issued in 1988 and revised in 1989 which provides increased possibilities for nursing personnel employed by municipalities and municipal federations to play a direct role in the improvement of health services and in decisions affecting staff in care communities. The Committee also notes that the nation-wide agreement on municipal staff training was revised in 1989 and that the revised text stresses the importance of staff training and covers the principles of career prospects. The Committee requests the Government to supply information on the practical application of the above Act and agreements and hopes that further efforts will be made to that effect since they appear to be necessary in the light of the comments from the Confederation of Salaried Employees (TVK) communicated with the Government's report.

(b) The Committee notes that the act on specialist health care and the act implementing it are being reinforced and that the revision will take effect at the beginning of 1991. It also notes the Government's statement that the employers' and workers' organisations have been widely consulted in the preparatory work. The Committee hopes that the Government will supply the text of the above revised legislation when adopted.

3. Number of nursing personnel (point V of the report form). Further to its earlier comments, the Committee notes from the Government's statement and from the statistical data supplied with the report that the number of nursing personnel and the number of nursing posts have been increased. The Government recognises, however, that in spite of the progress achieved, there are still staff shortages which according to the TVK are due to such changes as shortening of working week. The Committee hopes that additional measures will be taken to increase, in particular, the number of nursing posts, and that the Government will continue to provide the information called for under this point of the report form.