Valvira’s organisational structure

Director General Markus Henriksson 

+358 295 209 300
[email protected]

The Director General manages Valvira and is responsible for ensuring that the agency’s tasks are carried out efficiently, economically and effectively. Additionally, the Director General is responsible for the Agency’s communications and implementing the Agency’s strategy in cooperation with the heads of departments and the Head of Communications.

The following teams and positions are under the direct authority of the Director General: 

• Communications Team 
• Development Manager Petri Huovinen  
• Management Assistant Anne Aapro (+358 295 209 394, [email protected])

Communications Team

Head of Communications Marjut Gerkman

+358 295 209 388
[email protected]

Administrative Department Groups:

• Human Resources
• Finance
• Data Governance

Autonomous and independent bodies:

• the Finnish Adoption Board
• the National Medical Research Ethics Committee, Tukija

The administration ensures the necessary conditions for Valvira’s financial and human resources are met to allow the agency to carry out its tasks.

The Administrative Department ensures the adequacy of appropriations and other funding, and that they are used economically and effectively. The department produces and ensures accurate and adequate information about the agency’s finances and activities. The department is responsible for the personnel’s competence, well-being and motivation, as well as the premises, tools and safeguarding of the agency’s property. The department also develops and maintains the agency’s electronic services and registers. The Administrative Department also includes two autonomous and independent bodies: the Finnish Adoption Board and the National Medical Research Ethics Committee, Tukija.

Director Jussi Luomajärvi

+358 295 209 362
[email protected]

Social Welfare and Health Care Department Groups:

• Preliminary supervision
• Supervision of Services 1
• Supervision of Services 2
• Supervision of Professsionals 1
• Supervision of Professionals 2

The Social Welfare and Health Care Department guides and supervises the activities of social welfare and health care service organisers, providers, and professionals. The department handles matters related to national registration of service providers and service units in social welfare and health care. The department monitors the fulfilment of the essential requirements for customer and patient information systems and handles reports of significant deviations in these systems. The department’s task is to monitor that the secure user environments for the secondary use of social and health data meet data protection and security requirements.

The department is also tasked with the national supervision of early childhood education and care. A supervisory board for social and health care professionals is part of the department. It decides on matters such as the restriction and loss of the right to practise, the revocation of an authorisation to practise, prohibiting a practitioner from using a professional title and their recovery.

Director Helena Mönttinen

+358 295 209 404
[email protected]

Health, Legal Rights and Product Safety Department Groups:

• Professional Practice Rights 1
• Professional Practice Rights 2
• Alcohol Industry
• Health Promotion
• Health Protection

The department grants the right to practise health care professions to social and health care professionals trained both in Finland and abroad. Applications related to pregnancy termination and sterilisation licences are processed by a committee on pregnancy termination and sterilisation matters, which operates in the department. 

The department handles licensing and notification issues related to alcoholic beverages and spirits and is responsible for alcohol product control. The department also guides and supervises the operations of manufacturers and importers of alcoholic beverages and Alko Oy. The department guides the activities of the Regional State Administrative Agencies in licensing and supervising the serving and retail sales of alcoholic beverages and oversees the national marketing of alcoholic beverages. 

The department supervises the composition, characteristics and labelling of products covered by the Tobacco Act and compliance with the marketing ban. The Department directs the Regional State Administrative Agencies and municipalities in performing their duties under the Tobacco Act. 

The department directs the nationwide enforcement of health protection as part of environmental healthcare. Population health is protected by monitoring and investigating adverse health effects from household water, recreational water, housing, public spaces and waste, and by influencing land use to prevent adverse health effects.  

The department maintains registers related to its tasks.

Director Jussi Holmalahti

+358 295 209 500
[email protected]