HUS Drug Tests Rise Sharply to 173 While Other Regions Largely Skip Screening

HUS conducted 173 drug tests across all professional groups last year, up from 35 the year before. YLE reports that welfare regions nationwide still carry out relatively few drug screenings for healthcare staff—numbers range from roughly ten tests in some occupational health services to a few hundred in larger regions, even where employers have more than 20,000 employees.

Experts and employers say the issue affects both patient safety and workplace safety and that testing is usually triggered by suspicion rather than routine screening. Kaija Ojanperä, senior specialist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Safety, says substance problems are a significant but partly hidden cause of professionals losing their licences. At HUS, occupational health chief Minna Majuri says general drug use appears to be rising and that alpha-PVP has been detected; HUS also logged 37 substance-related agreements or negotiations last year (42 the year before). Regional figures vary: Eloisa’s occupational health carried out ten tests last year (seven the year before), while Pirkanmaa’s wellbeing services recorded 214 tests (260 two years earlier). Employers describe formal policies and referral pathways for suspected misuse, and they encourage concern reports from colleagues, but acknowledge there is room to strengthen prevention and early intervention.