Transition periods and phasing of the Client Data Act

Transition periods and phasing of the Client Data Act

The new Act on the Processing of Client Data in Healthcare and Social Welfare (the Client Data Act) came into force on 1 January 2024. See the schedule of the changes on this page.

On this page, we will explain the changes brought by the reformed Client Data Act. In addition, we explain the transition periods laid down in the current and revised Act.

Changes to data sharing

  • Sharing of patient data with wellbeing applications: implementation in national data system services by 01/12/2024 at the latest 
  • Comprehensive denial of consent to data sharing in social welfare and healthcare services must be implemented by 01/01/2024
  • Denial of consent concerning a private occupational healthcare register must be implemented by 01/01/2024 
  • Right of access to data between social welfare and healthcare services: implementation in national data system services by 01/01/2026 at the latest
  • Sharing of wellbeing data with professionals: implementation in national data system services by 01/01/2026 at the latest
  • Patient data generated in social welfare must be stored in the Patient Data Repository by 01/10/2026 at the latest
  • Sharing of prescription data with wellbeing applications: implementation in national data system services by 01/10/2027 at the latest. The transitional provisions are set out in the following Act of Parliament: Act on the Amendment of the Act on Electronic Prescriptions 1232/2022 (finlex.fi, in Finnish)

Changes concerning social welfare services

Social welfare services will join the Kanta Services

The Client Data Act obliges all public social welfare service providers to join the Client Data Archive for Social Welfare Services. Private social welfare service providers must also join Kanta if they use an information system intended for processing client data. 

Social welfare service providers will deploy the Kanta Services within the transition periods.

  • Public social welfare service providers and private service providers acting on behalf of public social welfare must join the service by 01/09/2024 at the latest.
  • Private social welfare service providers must join the service by 01/01/2026 at the latest.

If the deadline for the obligation to store documents stored by the service provider is after these dates, the service provider must join Kanta no later than when the obligation to store documents begins.

Schedules for the entry of client documents in social welfare services

Social services providers must start the structured entry of client documents in the national archiving service as follows:

  1. Documents created in the service task for families with children, working-age people and older people beginning from the transition period (01/09/2024 / 01/01/2026)
  2. Documents created in the service task of child welfare services and school counselling service by 01/03/2025 at the latest
  3. Client documents created in the service task of services for people with disabilities by 01/09/2025 at the latest
  4. Client documents created in the service task of services for substance abusers by 01/3/2026 at the latest
  5. Client documents created in the service task of family law services by 01/09/2026 at the latest

Entry of video and audio recordings created in service tasks of social services must be started by 01/10/2029 at the latest.

Client data in social welfare services to be available in MyKanta

Social welfare information will gradually become available to the clients on MyKanta.  The data will be available in MyKanta at the latest when the obligation of social welfare services to join the Kanta Services begins.

Changes concerning health services

Schedules for the entry of documents to the Patient Data Repository and the Image Data Repository

By 01/01/2025 at the latest

  • Sharing of patient data abroad

By 01/03/2025 the latest

  • Documents prepared by school psychologists

By 01/10/2026 at the latest

  • Health records related to health services provided in connection with social services
  • Appointment document on health service appointments booked for and notified to the client
  • Documents and laboratory test results related to imaging carried out as part of screening programmes
  • Certificates and forms related to fitness to drive
  • Certificates and forms related to accidents and occupational disease reports
  • Doctor’s certificate on the state of health (T certificate)
  • Medical certificate (TOD)
  • Medical certificate C
  • Death certificate 

By 01/10/2029 at the latest

  • Daily care provision entries
  • Imaging examination documents generated through screening programmes
  • Video, audio, and optical imaging materials
  • Images stored by oral health care units
  • Other images
     

Further information

Last updated 2.4.2024