J. Major issues highlighted by an interview with staff

Ms. Tiina Stelmach, board member of the Foundation and manager of the service, highlighted the following in an interview in November 2022:

• High commodity prices are hindering development and make finding staff a challenge. Unstable usage demand by recipients of the service makes keeping staff a challenge.
• Peak periods (summer holidays and school holidays) pose a challenge due to overall service use by all different user groups of the Foundation exceeding the capacity of facilities and staff. A more balanced use of the resources should be developed.
• New and innovative solutions for handling demand should be established that use the profiles of staff and users. There is a need for more long-term planning and improved use of today’s various digital solutions to assist staff and users. Today, the overwhelming puzzle of matching needs and staff availability is a serious threat to continuous service provision, in particular for users needing a high level of assistance.
• Shaping policy and advocating for increased hourly rates is a challenge. Joint action of stakeholders is required to solve the issue. If not solved, the risk is that the service places may not be filled and persons in need of assistance will remain without help.
• Being a private provider working in the public domain, with all the assets (facilities where the services are provided) being owned by the provider itself, means that the ability to attract municipal extra support beyond the hourly rates for the service is limited. However, the rising costs of heating, fuel, electricity, food and other commodities have presented challenges for more flexible providers.