6533b833fe1ef96bd129caad

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Transforming expertise from individual to regional community expertise: a four‐year study of an education intervention

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In this paper we present the empirical results of a study showing that individualised expertise can be transformed into regional community expertise by means of an education intervention programme. In view of the ongoing reform of the municipal and service structures in Finland, during which small municipalities are combined into areas with populations in excess of 20,000, the need for community expertise is obvious. The reorganisation of service arrangements aims at efficiency, lower costs, quality service and increased regional competitiveness. Due to the reform, local actors are expected to provide new, collaboration‐oriented strategies, while healthcare professionals in the municipalities are presented with new challenges such as how to organise activities on a regional basis, form networks and work together in teams. An intervention study based on working life and with an emphasis on education was conducted using participatory action research between 1999 and 2003. The prerequisite of regional expert...