Finland 100: 57 – Clean Towels, check.

I went for a little wander round the hospital after a recent check up and came across these towels tucked away in a corner. It gives you an idea of the scale required for every single detail just to keep a place this size running smoothly. The Public Healthcare system in Finland has put a large emphasis on health promotion for decades and my own experiences would back this up. When I turned forty, I was asked if I would like to partake in a study and had a few phials of blood taken from me. The information with which they then provided me let me know my basic state of health and it was left up to me to take the necessary steps to improve. I was tested regularly over a further two years and I am now very much aware of what my danger areas are. It isn’t rocket science, it just teaches you to look after yourself. And I imagine it saves them a fortune in not having to deal with so many individuals with longterm health issues. It is no surprise that in an EU study conducted in 2000, Finland was found to belong to the top 5 of countries who are most satisfied with their healthcare. On average 88% of Finnish respondents were satisfied compared with the EU average of 41.3%. I’m not saying the system is perfect, just that it isn’t broken and is actually pretty damn good.