The Government’s pending bill would only improve the protection of paramedics against violence. In the view of Tehy, all health and social care personnel – not only paramedics – must be treated as public officials in the regulation regarding protection against violence. The proposed amendment does not achieve this objective.
– The Criminal Code should be amended to cover all personnel in the social and health care sector in terms of the violent resistance to an official. This would bring a real change in the protection of workers and would also be in line with the letter of the Government Programme, says Tehy President Millariikka Rytkönen.
The Government Programme clearly states that the legal protection of care and rescue personnel must be improved to match that of public officials, as required by Tehy: The Government will promote occupational safety and the prevention of violence in working life. Among other things, the Government will improve the legal protection of care and rescue personnel in work-related situations involving violence to correspond with the legal protection of public officials.
Statistics show that the social and health care sector has become increasingly violent. According to the Finnish Workers’ Compensation Center, the most common anomaly preceding sick leave caused by an accident at work is violence, and accidents in the social care and healthcare sector are increasing year by year. Data from Statistics Finland also confirms that violence has increased significantly in the sector in recent years.
– Decision-makers have the opportunity and the duty to influence the reduction of violence in the social and health care sector. I also find it strange that the Government Programme’s commitment to improve the protection of those working in the care and rescue sector is not being fully implemented, says Rytkönen.
There are also other concerns with the Government’s bill. The proposed new law requires that violence or the threat of violence substantially impedes the emergency response. In practice, this threshold can be too high, as trained and skilled paramedics often perform their duties despite threats.
– Everyday violence and threats of violence must not be excluded from the protection now proposed simply because professional paramedics are often able to carry out their job despite threats or acts of violence, says Tehy Leading Legal Counsel Jarkko Pehkonen.
Today 2 October is the UN Day of Non-Violence. Tehy has long campaigned against violence in the social and health care sector through measures, such as the Black-Eyed Day campaign, which was launched on 2 October 2023. Tehy has published the Nyrkkisääntö book on violence experienced by workers in the social and health care sector. The book is available for listening on Spotify.
Enquiries:
Tehy President Millariikka Rytkönen, requests for interview through Special Advisor Mila Huovinen, [email protected], tel. +358 (0)400 540 005
Tehy Leading Legal Counsel, Master of Laws with court training Jarkko Pehkonen, [email protected],
tel. +358 (0)40 531 5464