The City of Espoo is starting a trial that will offer residents vouchers to be used at private health firms, in an effort to see if such alternatives reduce queue congestion on the public side, according to the city.

The city plans to distribute about one thousand of the private care vouchers on a trial basis this autumn.

The vouchers will be issued to patients when queuing situations at the city’s public health care facilities require it, according to the city.

Once a patient receives a voucher, he or she is able to choose from a selection of private health care firms, given that the company meets criteria defined by the city.

However, patients who decide to use the vouchers will still pay part of the cost for health care provided by the private firms — the same amount they would have been charged at Espoo’s public health centres.

Espoo’s social and health committee agreed to the trial at a meeting on Thursday.