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Rodolfo Bolcan
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Filipino Rodolfo Bolcan remains a rarity – in the Finnish healthcare system, at least. According to the Commission for Local Authority Employers (CLAE), only a few tens of nurses have been recruited from abroad to the public healthcare sector, nor are any more due any time soon.
“For the time being we’re dealing with quite small numbers, groups of ten at the most. One initiative in preparation would see 30 Chinese nurses sent to the Lahti area, but it’s still in the project planning stages. There’s also been mention of Vietnam in Seinäjoki, in Southern Ostrobothnia,” says Pirkko Leivo, a project manager at the CLAE.
A Finnish News Agency (STT) survey of hospital districts also indicates that foreign recruitment remains rare. But there has been discussion about it in several districts, as labour shortages are set to worsen in the near future.
“We need to continuously evaluate whether we have enough personnel. We may need to speak out about this in the near future, and we’ve certainly been talking to our own recruitment about this from time to time,” comments Pirjo Kejonen, a chief nurse in the hospital district of Northern Ostrobothnia.
In Leivo’s view, recruitment planners should pick up the pace, because the process is a slow one. She encourages hospital districts to co-operate in recruitment.
“Recruitment from abroad isn’t a quick solution to a labour shortage, it’s a process of a couple of years. We need to make choices, organise language training and supplementary education – preferably in the country of origin,” she argues.
| Tehy issues an ethical framework
One year ago, the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals, Tehy, issued a set of ethical recommendations on recruitment of foreign labour in the care sector. They touch on matters such as recruitment and employment conditions and pay:
– Do not recruit from a country that itself suffers from a shortage of healthcare workers. Finland’s labour shortage should not be forced onto other countries.
– All employment relationships should be subject to Finnish legislation and employment contracts.
– Workers should be employed to carry out tasks for which they are qualified. For example, someone qualified to be a general nurse (sairaanhoitaja) must not be employed as a lower-level practical nurse (lähihoitaja).
– Immigrants should be paid the same as other employees. Pay may not be lowered on the basis of inadequate language skills. The employer is responsible for providing adequate language training.
– Information about the position, language requirements, taxation, prices and the cost of living in Finland should already be provided during the recruitment phase in the worker’s country of origin.
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LAURA KOLU – STT
MATTHEW PARRY – HT
Pekka Sakki
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