In the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, occupational health services will soon be available from 8 am until 8 pm. In acute cases, employees may turn to any Mehiläinen location in Helsinki, Espoo or Vantaa.

The University’s occupational health care in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area will continue to be provided by Mehiläinen. From the beginning of next year, occupational health services will be available for University employees on weekdays between 8.00 and 20.00. In acute cases on weekdays, employees may use any Mehiläinen location in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.

In addition to the statutory occupational health services, the University offers its employees general outpatient care for acute illnesses. The University will also compensate a consultation with a specialist, if the patient is referred to one by the occupational health doctor. Starting next year, occupational health will cover more visits to an occupational psychologist or occupational physiotherapist to diagnose an illness or determine treatment.

Outside the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, occupational health services are provided by Suomen Terveystalo. For University employees in Lapland, occupational health services will continue as before.

All services at Ympyrätalo

In future, the University community will be served by a team of six occupational health doctors and six occupational health nurses at Ympyrätalo.

In Kumpula and Viikki, an occupational health nurse is available for two half-days per month. Even though this means that occupational health services on the campuses will be more limited, Kumpula Campus Occupational Safety Delegate Seija Lemettinen greets the changes with optimism.

“I consider the possibility to use different locations and the expansion of the opening times positive changes for occupational health services.”

The occupational health nurse may write a certificate for the fourth day of an absence due to illness or conduct statutory health inspections.

“Occupational health negotiations may also be conducted on campus, unless the involved party finds it awkward,” Lemettinen points out.
Access to occupational health care

Who is eligible for occupational health care at the University, with its wide variety of employment relationships? Persons working for the University for 14 hours or more per week are eligible for occupational health care. Grant- or scholarship-funded researchers do not have access to occupational health services, and hourly-paid teachers have restricted access.

Employees may take an absence due to illness without a doctor's certificate for three days or less, although the superior has the right to ask for a certificate starting from the first day. All days of the week are counted, so an employee who is absent due to illness on a Friday will need a doctor's certificate for an absence due to the same illness on Monday.

All absences of all staff, including teaching and research staff, must be entered into the SAP HR system as soon as possible. This requirement applies to all absences, even ones which do not require a doctor’s certificate. The doctor’s certificate must be submitted to the University within two weeks regardless of the length of the absence.

Occupational health in the University of Helsinki (presented at the info session in November)

Occupational health in Flamma (the pages are being updated at the moment, information is added frequentely)

News article “Occupational health care from Mehiläinen and Suomen Terveystalo” (20 August 2014)

Text: Tiina Palomäki
Translation: University of Helsinki Language Services