Municipal health care service, 2003, preliminary figures

While the total number of institution residents (residents in nursing homes and old people's homes) has decreased somewhat to 40 000, there has been 6.5 per cent increase in the number of residents below 67 years old from 2002, and a similar increase in the year before. By the end of 2003, almost 2 000 residents below 67 years old lived in institutions. The number of such residents in dwellings for the aged and disabled increased by more than 5 per cent to about 15 000 in 2003. In total, close to 50 000 people lived in such dwellings. A similar increase is also found for home-based services, as in 2003 these services included close to 44 000 recipients below 67 years old out of a total of 161 000.

Increase in home nursing

The total number of recipients of home-based services has been stable in recent years. However, if we divide home based services into home nursing and practical help we find that more than 46 000 receive home nursing only, while 60 000 receive both. This is a significant increase from 2002, especially for home nursing, for which the number of recipients increased by close to 5 per cent. This is in strong contrast to practical help, for which the number of recipients has decreased by more than 7 per cent to 55 000. The increase in the number of home nursing recipients combined with a decrease in the number of practical help recipients is a trend that goes back to the late 1990s.

The decrease in the number of old people's homes and the focus on dwellings for the aged and disabled may explain some of the increase in home nursing recipients. The number of beds in old people's homes was reduced by 15 per cent to 3 600 in 2003, while the number of beds in nursing homes is quite stable at just over 37 000.

The number of man-years in nurse and care services is stable. 114 000 man-years were recorded, including temporary work.

In municipal health activities, on the other hand, there are only small changes. In 2003, the number of man-years per 10 000 inhabitants for physicians and physiotherapists was 8.5 and 8.3, respectively. There may look as if there has been a reduction in the number of physician and physiotherapist man-years in the school health service and health centre service, while similar figures for midwifes and other personnel except health nurses have increased.

Tables:

• Table 1 Beds in institutions for the aged and disabled. 1996-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 2 Rooms in institutions for the aged and disabled, by type of room. Per cent. (N=number of rooms). 1991-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 3 Residents in institutions for the elderly and disabled, by age. 1992-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 4 Residents in dwellings for the aged and disabled. 1994-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 5 Users of home-based services, by age. 1992-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 6 Users of home-based services, by kind of service. 1992-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 7 Recipients of respite care, by age. 1996-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 8 Recipients of special support, by age. 1996-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 9 Man-years within the nursing and care services. 2002 and 2003,. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 10 Man-years by occupational groups in the municipal health service excluded personnel working in institutions for the aged and home-based services. Man-years per 10 000 inhabitants. Centrality. 1994-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 11 Man-years by occupational groups in the municipal health service excluded personnel working in institutions for the aged and home-based services. Centrality. 1994-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 12 Man-years by physicians with different wage agreements in the municipal health service excluded personnel working in institutions for the aged and home based services. Centrality. 1994-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 13 Man-years by physiotherapists with different wage agreements in the municipal health service excluded personnel working in institutions for the aged and home-based services. Centrality. 1994-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 14 Man-years in the school health service and health centre service. 1994-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 15 Man-years for physicians by activity area. 1994-2003. Preliminary figures 2003
• Table 16 Man-years for physiotherapists by activity area. 1994-2003. Preliminary figures 2003