Number of persons losing their right to practise slightly decreased
Last year, a total of 86 health and social services professionals lost their right to practise. This was a slight decrease from the previous year, when 100 professionals lost their right to practise. In 2021, 49 decisions were made to restrict the right to practise. Of these, 31 applied to physicians, and 26 out of the 31 imposed a limited right to prescribe medications.
Removing or limiting the right to practise is in most cases motivated by a substance abuse problem, other health-related reasons, insufficient professional competence or other inappropriate activities. A health and social services professional may lose his or her right to practise, or this right may be limited, if justified in order to ensure client and patient safety, the aim being to prevent the care of clients and patients from being compromised.
It became possible to reinstate, in full or in part, previously lost rights to practise to 20 applicants. This was slightly fewer than in recent years, but the number of applications increased from the previous year. Last year, the Supervisory Board resolved a total of 69 cases in which a professional applied reinstatement of his or her rights.
Matters concerning the limiting, removing and reinstatement of the right to practise are dealt with by the Social and Health Care Professionals Supervisory Board at Valvira. The Board also considers matters concerning prohibiting the use of a professional title and the issuing of written warnings.
A few dozen individuals relinquished their right to practise
Last year, a slightly larger number than in the previous year of social and health care professionals applied to Valvira to have their right to practise removed. In 2021, Valvira removed the right to practise from 46 professionals on their own application. This number, however, is very small relative to the total number of professionals registered with Valvira. One year earlier, the number of persons requesting the removal of their rights was 29. The number of practical nurses among these applicants almost tripled, there being 24 practical nurses as opposed to 9 in the previous year. The number of applicants in other occupational groups remained almost the same.
It is not possible to draw conclusions on the basis of the applications about why the applicants wished to give up their professional rights. A professional does not have to state the reason why he or she wishes to relinquish his or her professional rights. However, a handful of applicants did mention a reason in their application, whether health-related reasons, pursuing a different career or retiring.
Further information:
Head of Unit Kirsi Liukkonen, 0295 209 428
Senior Officer, Legal Affairs Anna Valkeajoki, 0295 209 411