At least 20 doctors with licences to work in Finland had been restricted from practicing medicine by authorities in another country, often following a conviction for a serious crime.
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The cases were revealed as part of an investigation by Yle’s MOT unit. Image: Getty Images, kuvankäsittely: Otso Ritonummi / Yle
An investigation by Yle’s investigative journalism unit MOT has revealed that doctors with convictions abroad for crimes including attempted murder and possession of child sexual imagery were granted licences to work in the medical profession in Finland.
Michelle Haga, a mother-of-four from Ostrobothnia, told MOT of her “shock” when she read a news article about a doctor who had treated her children.
The doctor had been convicted in Sweden in 2020 for the possession of over 250 images and several videos depicting child sexual abuse, and for distributing one image. He was sentenced to community service and ordered to participate in a treatment programme for sexual offenders.
“I was upset and couldn’t comprehend that this could be true. It never occurred to me that someone examining my children could have ulterior motives,” Haga told MOT.
He lost his licence to work as a doctor in Sweden, and later in Norway, but changed his name and moved to Finland.
He was granted a licence to work as a doctor by Valvira, Finland’s National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, a government agency that operates under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
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Michelle Haga was shocked to learn that a doctor with a criminal conviction for possessing images of the sexual abuse of children had treated all four of her kids. Image: Janne Järvinen / Yle
In a statement to MOT, Valvira’s spokesperson Mervi Koivuniemi noted that, based on Finnish law, a doctor’s right to practice can only be revoked for reasons related to their work and patient safety.
“Simply committing a crime is not enough,” Koivuniemi said. “We have to investigate the matter more broadly. There may be some other grounds on which professional rights can be restricted.”
In Sweden, by contrast, a conviction for a serious crime can be considered sufficient grounds for authorities to revoke a doctor’s licence to practice.
Licences granted despite criminal convictions
In total, MOT found the names of 20 doctors on Valvira’s register whose right to practice has been restricted by authorities in another country, but who still have the right to work as physicians in Finland.
One such example is dermatologist Kwok Yun Lee, who lost his right to practice medicine in Norway after being sentenced to 11 years in prison on a charge of attempted murder.
In another case, Swedish doctor Martin Ahlström was convicted of child rape and sentenced to more than three years in prison. He also lost his licence in Sweden but subsequently moved to Finland.
Both Lee and Ahlström were granted the right to work as doctors in Finland, although MOT understands that neither of them are currently practising. Yle has made the decision to publish their names in this article because they have received prison sentences for committing serious crimes.
Valvira: Law needs to be updated
Valvira spokesperson Mervi Koivuniemi confirmed to MOT that the agency believes Finland’s current laws on this issue need to be updated.
“We have proposed that serious crimes committed during free time, which are directed against the life, health, and personal integrity of another person, could also be taken into account in the supervision of doctors,” Koivuniemi said.
MOT understands that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is currently preparing a major legislative amendment concerning healthcare professionals.
Peter Nieminen, a Chief Medical Officer also interviewed by MOT, said the legislation should be the same across the Nordic region.
“I think it’s a bit backwards that we have to do the detective work ourselves. It would be good if there were some sort of automation or if the applicant had a certificate showing that all rights are in order,” Nieminen said.