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With the entry into force of the new Act on Disability Services and Assistance at the turn of the year, the basic care of persons living on ventilators will be transferred from specialised medical care to wellbeing services counties. The Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) and the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County are currently preparing for the change together with the other wellbeing services counties in Uusimaa. The aim is to ensure that the change does not cause changes in clients’ daily life.
After the change, HUS will continue to be responsible for the share of specialised medical care in the treatment of patients with respiratory paralysis, while wellbeing services counties will manage matters related to housing and custodial care in clients’ everyday lives.
The care and transport services of persons living on ventilators will continue to be free of charge after the change.
After the change, the patient may live as before at home, in a housing unit or in another place providing round-the-clock care depending on the patient’s overall medical and care intensity status. In future, persons living on respirators may be eligible for financial support under the Act on Disability Services and Assistance.
The change will be communicated to the residents and their families.
The entry into force of the act will have a transitional period of three years from the beginning of 2025. During the transitional period, services for respiratory paralysis patients will be arranged in accordance with the current legislation, unless they themselves prefer an earlier transfer.
The reason for the change is the entry into force of the Act on Disability Services and Assistance on 1 January 2025. In the future, respiratory paralysis patients will be covered by the Act on Disability Services and Assistance and will no longer be issued separate respiratory paralysis decisions. Responsibility for disability services and social welfare services will lie with the wellbeing services counties, while HUS will only provide specialised medical care services. The treatment and care of persons living on ventilators will mainly be part of primary healthcare and social welfare.