My Oulu: Pohde has decided to launch international recruitment – the wellbeing services county will likely show an economic deficit of 84 million
Pohde is launching international recruitment as a part of wide tendering. It will open to companies once the tendering plan has been approved by other regional governments. There is a shortage of nurses, practical nurses and nursing assistants. Stock photo: Mostphotos
Jaa sosiaalisessa mediassa:
The availability of health-care staff has weakened in the last few years in Finland. In its last meeting, Pohde’s regional government decided to launch international recruitment. The wellbeing services county is in need of nurses, practical nurses and nursing assistants.
The regional government of the wellbeing services county of North Ostrobothnia, Pohde, assembled on January 23 to discuss the first year’s financial statement. The estimated deficit of the budget is 80 million euros. According to the financial statement that will be delivered to the State Treasury, the total deficit is estimated to be approximately 84 million euros.
However, there is some uncertainty in the information and the figures will be updated by the end of March when the regional government processes the final statement. The initial estimation will become more accurate after the processing of the purchases made in 2023, profit rectification and finalized staff costs.
“On a national scale, the result is reasonable. In Pohde, deficit per capita is lower than the national average. The economic situation is difficult in all wellbeing services counties. The total deficit of all wellbeing services counties is 1,3 billion euros according to current data”, Director of the Wellbeing Services County Ilkka Luoma explains.
International recruitment will help
The availability of health-care staff has weakened in the last few years in Finland. The wellbeing services counties are in need of nurses, practical nurses and nursing assistants.
According to the public pension insurer Keva, there is a deficit of over 2 250 nurses and 525 practical nurses in the northern cooperation region that includes the wellbeing services counties of Lapland, Kainuu, Central Ostrobothnia and North Ostrobothnia.
Pohde’s estimation for annual need and capability to recruit staff through international recruitment during the initial stage is approximately 50 workers. The number may change in the future if the need changes.
“International recruitment is one but not the only way to ease the staff need. It helps us prepare for the future where the population gets older and the number of staff gets lower”, Pohde’s Head Nursing Director Merja Meriläinen states.
The wellbeing services county of North Ostrobothnia launches international recruitment as a part of tendering in the northern cooperation region. Tendering can be opened to businesses only once all regional governments of the northern cooperation region have approved the shared international recruitment plan.