Social and Health Care Services for Undocumented Migrants in the Tampere Region
This page contains services meant for the undocumented people in the Tampere Region. Undocumented people do not have full access to social and health care services. Here you can find information about, for example, social and health care, and legal guidance.
Know Your Rights
In Finland, healthcare is based on public-sector services. You can go to any health centre or wellbeing centre in the municipality you are in. Primary healthcare services treat general health issues, whereas specialised medical care treats illnesses and injuries that require expertise in a specific medical field.
You always have the right to urgent care. livelihood. Urgent healthcare includes services such as emergency departments, first aid, and intensive care. You can also get essential healthcare services in many cases. Undocumented migrants that are legally in the country get essential services everywhere in Finland. Those without legal residency get essential services in certain situations. You can also receive social welfare services if necessary: everyone is guaranteed a minimum income.
A healthcare professional assesses whether you need essential care and if it is possible to organize it. It is important that you seek treatment in good time, regardless of your residence status. Essential care includes at least the treatment and monitoring of long-term illnesses, renewal of some regular medications, vaccinations, certain laboratory tests, and follow-up appointments after a trip to the emergency department. Pregnant women also have access to maternity clinic services during pregnancy and childbirth services. Children are entitled to all the same healthcare services as the residents of wellbeing counties. People with disabilities receive non-urgent care related to their disability.
Healthcare professionals are under an obligation of confidentiality. Doctors, nurses, and other professionals may not report you to the authorities because of your residence permit status.
If you have no money, please tell that to the professional treating you so they can decide not to send the bill.
You don’t need a Kela card. If you don’t have a personal identity code, ask a professional for a temporary ID and write it down, as you will need it in healthcare services later on. You can have several temporary IDs, as each patient information system needs a different code. Request paper copies of your prescriptions and patient instructions.
Don’t hesitate to seek treatment – it’s your right!
Health Care and Social Services
Emergency Number
In case of emergency, call the emergency number 112. Calls are free. Emergency calls are answered at all hours all year round.
If you call the emergency number, do the following:
- State what happened and where you are.
- Answer the questions and follow the instructions given to you.
- Wait for help to arrive.
- Don’t hang up the phone until you are given permission to do so.
Emergency Care
You can go to any health care centre without an appointment Monday – Thursday from 8 am to 4 pm, and Friday from 8 am to 3 pm. If you have an emergency during the evening, at night, on a holiday or the weekend, go to the emergency care at the
hospital. The emergency care at the hospital is open around the clock every day.
In an urgent situation, you will receive help no matter in which municipality
you reside. You do not need an appointment. Call the medical helpline 116117 before going to the health care centre. The call is free. The medical helpline offers guidance
for sudden health problems.
Urgent Care Units
You can receive care from urgent care units after the closing times of the health care centres and during the weekends. The urgent care units in Nokia, Sastamala, Hatanpää in Tampere, Virrat, and Ylöjärvi provide services also during the evenings, weekends and holidays. Please call the urgent care unit before leaving there.
Urgent Care Unit of Nokia Social and Health Centre
Monday – Friday from 8 am to 8 pm
Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10 am to 6 pm
Maununkatu 12, 37100 Nokia
Medical needs evaluation at the urgent care unit: +3583 384 5066
Text message number for the speech and hearing impaired: +358 44 486 1671 (no calls)
Urgent Care Unit of Sastamala Social and Health Centre
Monday – Friday from 8 am to 8 pm
Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10 am to 6 pm
Itsenäisyydentie 2 C, 38200 Sastamala
Medical needs evaluation at the urgent care unit: +358 3384 5030
Urgent Care Unit of Hatanpää, Tampere
Monday – Thursday from 4 pm to 8 pm
Friday from 3 pm to 8 pm
Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10 am to 6 pm
Hatanpäänkatu 24, 33900 Tampere
Medical needs evaluation at the urgent care unit: Tampere region medical helpline 116117
Urgent Care Unit of Ylöjärvi Social and Health Centre
Monday – Friday from 8 am to 8 pm
Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10 am to 6 pm
Mikkolantie 10, 33470 Ylöjärvi
Medical needs evaluation at the urgent care unit: +358 3384 5272
Urgent Care Unit of Virrat Social and Health Center
Monday – Friday from 8 am to 8 pm
Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10 am to 6 pm
Sairaalantie 1, Virrat
Medical needs evaluation at the urgent care unit: +358 33341 1200
Hospital On-Call Services
NOTE! The following situations are ALWAYS cared at Tays emergency care for children:
- Feverish (over 38°C) infant under the age of 3 months
- Child who has had an electric shock
- Child with a snakebite
- Infant under the age of 21 months, who the parents think seems abnormal and needs an evaluation from a doctor
Hospital Emergency Care: Adult Patients
Tays (Tampere University Hospital) Emergency care Acuta
Ensitie 8, 33520 Tampere
Hospital Emergency Care: Children Under the Age of 16
Tays (Tampere University Hospital) Emergency care
Elämänaukio 2, 33520 Tampere
Open around the clock
Child Patients with Injuries from an Accident or Pain in the Testicles
Tays Emergency care Acuta
Ensitie 8, 33520 Tampere
Open around the clock
Hospital Emergency Care of Akaa, Kangasala, Kuhmoinen, Lempäälä, Pälkäne, Urjala, Valkeakoski and Vesilahti, Adult and Child Patients
Tays emergency care of Valkeakoski
Salonkatu 24, 37600 Valkeakoski
Open every day from 8 am to 10 pm
Dentist Emergency Care
Ensitie 8, 33520 Tampere
Tays Central hospital, building K, floor 0
Weekends and holidays:
Saturday from 8 am to 9 pm
Sunday from 8 am to 9 pm
Monday – Friday from 3 pm to 9 pm
It is recommended to call +3583 384 5335 before arriving to the dentist emergency care.
Gynecology and Pregnancy Emergency Care
Elämänaukio 2, 33520 Tampere
Tays Central hospital, building D, floor 3
Childbirth
Elämänaukio 2, 33520 Tampere Tays
Central hospital, building D, floor 4
You can ask questions about childbirth and related issues by calling +3583 311 65942.
Other Health and Social Services
Lähitori Service Stations of Tampere Region
Lähitori service stations provide easily accessible in-person guidance about social and health issues. Interpretation via phone is provided. Visit the web site to see the locations of the service points.
Health Centers
Visit the web site to find all health centers of Tampere region.
Social Station
Social Station Sarvis Social Services, Hatanpäänkatu 3, F-rappu
Contact us primarily by email at sostyokotoutujat@pirha.fi
Social work and guidance services promoting integration guidance services are available by phone at +35840 806 2771 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Health Services Coordination Team for Immigrants
Hatanpäänkatu 3 B, floor 1. Tampere
Callback service +35840 684 1081 (Monday – Friday from 9 am to 1.30 am), you can book an appointment for a health condition survey, or an infection and vaccination status survey.
Social and Crisis Emergency Services
The social and crisis emergency services of Tampere region are open every day around the clock.
Call +358500 625 990,
sosiaalipaivystys@pirha.fi
Sorinkatu 12 D, 33100 Tampere
Emergency Accommodation
You can access emergency accommodation during office hours through the refugee work team. Outside office hours, you can access emergency accommodation through the Social and Crisis Emergency Services.
Contact us by email at sostyokotoutujat@pirha.fi
You can call the integration social work and guidance service helpline on +35840 806 2771 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pirkanmaa Social and Crisis Emergency Services, always open:
Call +358500 625 990,
sosiaalipaivystys@pirha.fi
Sorinkatu 12 D, 33100 Tampere
Child Protection Emergency Care
Child protection emergency care helps, when there is an urgent issue with a child, a teen or a family that requires guidance or immediate intervention. These situations can relate to, for example, violence, illegal substances or to a suspicion that a child has been neglected.
Sarvis social station
Hatanpäänkatu 3 J (floor 3), 33900
Tampere Call +35840 568 5520 (Monday – Friday from 9 am to 3 pm)
Other Advisory and Support Services
Victim Support Hotline 116006
The Victim Support Hotline 116006 and RIKUchat offer counseling services. You will be assisted by someone who understands what it feels like to be the victim of a crime. These services are intended for victims of crime, their loved ones, and witnesses to criminal acts.
Call 116006 (service in Finnish)
Victim Support Hotline 116006 and RIKUchat are available Monday to Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, visit the web site.
Service for Victims of Human Trafficking and Related Crimes
Victim support provides a special service of guidance and help to human trafficking and related crime victims, by people who specialize in the issues. Contact the special help service when:
- You need information about human trafficking
- You think you may have been a victim of human trafficking or some other equivalent abuse
- You need guidance about the rights of the victim, information about the services, reporting the crime, or how a report may affect the victim’s situation
Contact the special service:
By email: help@riku.fi
By phone: +35840 632 9293 (also text messages or Whatsapp)
Monday – Friday from 1 pm to 4 pm
Church Social Work Helplines
- South church: Call +35840 804 8414, Monday – Wednesday from 10 am to noon
- Harju church: Call +35850 466 0699, Monday – Wednesday from 10 am to noon
- Messukylä church: Call +35840 804 8625, Monday – Wednesday from 10 am to noon
- Tuomiokirkko church: Call +35840 804 9999, Monday – Wednesday from 10 am to noon
Marhaban Centre, International Living Room
Kaleva church, Liisanpuisto 1, Tampere
Open: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1 pm to 4 pm
Facebook: marhaban-tampere
Instagram: marhaban.tampere
Food Distribution
Food aid: Visit the web site to find the closest location to pick up a bag of food, or a communal dining place.
Physicians for Social Responsibility – Finland, PapeTe-project Advice Service
The advice service is intended for undocumented people and those who encounter them. The advice service provides support and guidance on accessing healthcare services and treatment facilities. Call or send a message (text message or WhatsApp, including voice messages) Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to 044 744 9932. You can also send us an email: health.advice@lsv.fi
Follow our advice page on Facebook: Health Advice for Undocumented Migrants We publish up-to-date information there on healthcare for undocumented migrants and third sector services. You can also send us a message via Messenger. We will respond to messages as soon as possible.
The Finnish Refugee Advice Centre, legal advice for undocumented migrants
Legal advice is available on Mondays from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call +35845 237 7104. You can also send an email to paperittomat@pakolaisneuvonta.fi.