Health Point Implementation Guide and Principles of Operation

Do you want to set up a Red Cross Health Point?

The goal of Health Point activities is to narrow health inequalities and contribute to reducing health inequity.

Health Point volunteers promote health and wellbeing as well as self-directed coping in local communities.

Volunteers meet people in vulnerable situations and provide needs-based and effective guidance and support on matters related to health and life management. The most important aspect of the activities is genuine human encounter and the conducting of health conversations. At Health Points, reception volunteers meet visitors and offer support through motivational health conversations.

When starting a Health Point, first read the implementation guide. Once your local branch has agreed to start the activities, you can order the start-up package.

The order is placed by sending information about the Health Point to the employee responsible for Health Point activities in your own district and asking them to place the order.

Follow the ordering instructions (in Finnish).

Next, you can participate in the Health Point Activities Fundamentals training, where you will gain the skills needed to launch a Health Point.

You will receive support for getting started from the employee responsible for Health Points in your own district.

Would you like to target your Health Point's activities?

The Red Cross operates where the need for help is greatest. By utilising the Stronger, Healthier Community model, you can plan activities in a way that helps you find the people who most need your help. Ask for more information from your own district or from a health promotion trainer, and arrange the Healthier Community training (3h).

Health Point activities are being developed

Health Point activities are being actively developed in 2024–26. In accordance with the operational policy, the development work spans three years and will bring changes to all Health Point activities. As a result, the materials and guidelines found on these pages are also incomplete and will be updated as the work progresses.

Red Cross Health Point activities are guided by an implementation guide. The implementation guide has been approved by the Finnish Red Cross's first aid and health activities expert group, and its applied compliance is required at every Red Cross Health Point. Each Health Point is unique, so the implementation guide is not directly binding, but activities contrary to the organisation's guidelines will be addressed when necessary.

Implementation instructions.pdf

Every volunteer working at a Health Point familiarises themselves with the content of the confidentiality commitment and, if they begin work in a Health Point role, signs the agreement. The agreement is made either with the branch's Health Point responsible volunteer or with the district employee responsible for Health Point activities.

Salassapitositoumus 2024 (in Finnish)

The branch has health activities contact persons, whose job description is as follows.

Suomi PIKAPEREHDYTYS TERVEYSTOIMINNAN YHTEYSHENKILÖ 25092023.docx (in Finnish)

It is important to report on activities. Reporting takes place on the Oma Punainen Risti platform. Each Health Point creates an activity group in OMA and opens a visit reporting form there.

An annual action plan is drawn up for the Health Point, which forms part of the branch's action plan and is connected to the preparedness plan. For the time being, the action plan is drawn up manually, but the aim is to move to an electronic action plan in 2026.

During the 2024–26 policy period, Health Point activities are being developed at a national level.