From left, Dr. Paivi Sillanaukee, Special Envoy at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland, Gareth Presch, Founder and CEO of World Health Innovation Summit, Dr. Ann Aerts, Head of the Novartis Foundation, Jennifer Lovejoy, Chief Translational Science Officer at Phenome Health, and Kazuhiro Sakurada, Professor in Department of Extended Intelligence for Medicine, Keith University School of Medicine and Project Leader in Advanced Data Science Project, RIKEN, in a panel discussion at Radical Health Festival Helsinki - 2024
Social Prescribing Day 2026 Finland’s Government in Action
Every year, Social Prescribing Day brings together communities, health professionals, policymakers, and innovators from around the world to celebrate a powerful shift in how we think about health and wellbeing. Social prescribing is more than a concept it’s a practical approach that connects people to community‑based supports and activities that improve quality of life, prevent illness, and strengthen community ties. Social Prescribing Day reminds us that community is medicine, and that holistic approaches are essential to healthier, more connected societies.
This momentum aligns closely with exciting developments in Finland’s national health strategy, where health promotion and prevention are gaining renewed emphasis.
Finland’s National Health and Wellbeing Programme: Terveydeksi
Finland’s National Health and Wellbeing Programme — Terveydeksi (which translates roughly to “To Your Health”) is a multi‑year national initiative coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Running from 2024 to 2027, the programme aims to:
- Reduce the disease burden and wellbeing deficits caused by chronic conditions;
- Boost people’s work ability and functional capacity;
- Narrow disparities in health and wellbeing across the population;
- Ultimately reduce the need for health and social services by focusing on prevention and early action. Terveydeksi brings together government bodies, wellbeing services counties, municipalities, organisations, and other stakeholders. Its comprehensive scope includes healthy nutrition, child and youth wellbeing, efforts to reduce loneliness, stronger preventive public services, and health-related taxation measures.
This national strategy reinforces the core principles of social prescribing connecting people to supportive environments, reducing isolation, and embedding wellbeing across everyday life.
THL and the Service Concept for Welfare and Health Promotion
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) plays a central role in Finland’s prevention-oriented approach. THL operates under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and is Finland’s leading expert agency on population health, welfare, inequality reduction, and the development of social and healthcare services.
Under the broader Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland (RRP), THL has developed the Service Concept for Welfare and Health Promotion. This framework guides wellbeing services counties (regional authorities responsible for organising social and healthcare services) to:
- Implement evidence‑based practices that support multidisciplinary wellbeing work;
- Build digital service platforms where residents and professionals can easily find services promoting welfare, inclusion, and functional ability;
- Strengthen multidisciplinary guidance and case management across sectors, integrating activities offered by municipalities, organisations, and community partners. The concept supports holistic care pathways and encourages collaboration between clinical services and community-based resources — a natural complement to social prescribing principles.
Radical Health Festival and Global Social Prescribing
As a member of the Radical Health Festival Advisory Board, Europe’s premier health innovation event, I had the privilege this year to help host a Global Social Prescribing Alliance (GSPA) session on social prescribing. The session highlighted how community‑driven approaches are reshaping health systems, improving outcomes, and connecting people to local resources in ways that traditional healthcare cannot.
Gareth Presch, CEO of GSPA, commented: “Social prescribing is transforming healthcare worldwide from prevention to connection, from isolation to empowerment. By combining evidence, community, and innovation, we can build healthier, more resilient societies.”
Social Prescribing and Finland’s Prevention Agenda
Finland’s renewed focus on preventive health — through both Terveydeksi and THL’s service concept work — aligns neatly with the tenets of social prescribing. By broadening the focus of care beyond the clinic and into communities, culture, education, and wellbeing services, Finland is helping chart a path toward more equitable, efficient, and person-centred systems.
As we recognise Social Prescribing Day, this convergence of global momentum and national strategy demonstrates how countries can pivot toward prevention and community wellbeing not just as health policy ideals, but as actionable priorities with measurable impact.
Get involved this Social Prescribing Day — share your story, host an event, or explore how Finland’s programmes are shaping a healthier future for all: Submit Your Activity