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The Committee takes note of the information provided in the Government’s detailed report and the attached documentation.

Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 3, of the Convention. The Committee notes with interest the information concerning the four-year target and action programmes for social welfare and health care aiming at guiding the way social welfare and health care are organized by municipalities and issuing the necessary recommendations for action. The Government indicates that upon the completion of the first programme covering the period 2000-03, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is currently working on the next target and action programme for 2004-07. The Committee requests the Government to provide additional information on the implementation in practice of the 2000-03 programme and the priorities and objectives fixed for the new action plan.

In addition, the Committee notes with interest the information concerning the formulation of the "Health 2015" public health programme which sets out the national health policy for the next 15 years based on the WHO’s "Health for All" programme. It also notes the adoption of the 2002 Government resolution on securing the future of health care which draws special attention to the need for ensuring the availability of skilled personnel and provides for training and skill enhancement measures for health-care professionals. The Committee would be particularly interested in receiving information on concrete measures implementing the above policies and resolutions and the practical results obtained in terms of nursing staff trained, professional advancement and quality of nursing care. It would also be grateful if the Government would communicate information of any future action or policy decision on these matters, especially in the light of the Munich Declaration of June 2000 regarding nursing and midwifery and the WHO European Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery Education.

Article 3. The Committee notes that according to the Government’s forecast for 2001-10, an additional 6,300 employees are needed to remedy the present shortfall in nursing staff. Altogether 12,000 persons will be needed in social and health services during that period when 49,000 to 55,000 employees are expected to retire. The Government reports that some 330 new first-year places were created at polytechnics in 2002-03 while provision is made for some 250 additional places in 2004. With regard to continuing training for practicing nurses, the Government indicates that changes are scheduled to take effect in 2004 aiming at making the sector more interesting through long-term supplementary training so as to ensure the continuous vocational development of nursing staff in line with changing demands in health-care and medical technologies. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of the evolution of the situation as regards the shortage of nursing personnel and to elaborate on the new training arrangements in health care.

Articles 5 and 6. While noting the information supplied by the Government concerning the participation of nursing personnel in work planning and the latest amendments to the legislation on working time, the Committee requests the Government to transmit together with its next report copies of all collective agreements currently in force regulating employment terms and working conditions of nursing personnel employed in public or private hospitals, nursing homes and medical centres.

Article 7. The Committee notes with interest the adoption of the new Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002) which contains some new provisions on health risk factors of particular relevance to the health care sector such as excessive strain, harassment, exposure to biological and chemical agents and violence. It also notes the adoption of the Occupational Health Care Act (1383/2002) and the implementing Government Decrees (1484/2001 and 1485/2001) which include abnormal temperatures, night work and threat of work-related violence among the examples of work causing special risk and may therefore be of importance in certain nursing professions. Moreover, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that to date there have been no reported cases of work-related HIV infection. The Government adds that the Occupational Diseases Decree has been amended to include hepatitis C to the list of communicable blood-borne occupational diseases and that a revised handbook on communicable blood-borne diseases intended for health workers is under preparation. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of any new measures or initiatives regarding the adaptation of existing laws and regulations on occupational safety and health to the special nature of nursing work.

Part V of the report form. The Committee would be grateful to the Government for supplying detailed information on the practical application of the Convention, including for instance up-to-date statistics on the number of nurses employed in the public and private sectors, the nurse-to-population ratio, the number of students attending nursing schools, the number of nurses prematurely leaving the profession, copies of official reports or studies addressing labour and employment issues concerning nursing services and nursing personnel, as well as any practical difficulties encountered in the implementation of the Convention.