Health sector hails EU vote on workforce crisis as ‘major step forward’

The own-initiative report, 'An EU Health Workforce Crisis Plan: Sustainability of Healthcare Systems and Employment and Working Conditions in the Healthcare Sector', was approved by the Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and Public Health (SANT) committees today (3 June) and now heads to a plenary vote in July. 

The report, led by MEPs Loucas Fourlas (EPP, Cyprus) and Ruggero Razza (ECR, Italy), warns that the European Union could face a shortfall of more than four million health and care workers by 2030 if decisive measures are not taken. It calls on the European Commission and Member States to develop a comprehensive strategy to strengthen recruitment, retention and workforce planning. 

Healthcare organisations welcomed the committee vote as a crucial milestone. Paul De Raeve, Secretary General of the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN), praised the report's focus on nursing shortages: “We need concrete actions, supported by all political parties, to address the enormous shortage of nurses in the EU” expressing hope that the Parliament's recommendations would be translated into legislative proposals “as we urgently need frontline implementation! 

The Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) also backed the initiative. CPME President Dr Ole Johan Bakke said the vote represented “a strong political recognition that the EU needs a coherent and comprehensive Health Workforce Strategy”, warning that shortages create a vicious circle in which poor working conditions drive professionals out of the sector while increasing pressure on those who remain. He said that the understaffing presented a risk to patients quality of care.

Jan Willem Goudriaan, General Secretary of the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU), said the report demonstrated that policymakers were listening to frontline concerns. “It recognises the vital link between safe staffing, good working conditions and quality of care,” he said, urging the Commission and Member States to implement a long-term workforce strategy without delay. 

Community pharmacists also welcomed the vote. Mikołaj Konstanty, President of the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU), said pharmacists witness the workforce crisis daily and called for measures to improve recruitment, retention and sustainable remuneration for pharmacy services. 

One of the reports ambition is to expand education and training pathways, with the objective of increasing the Union’s health workforce by at least one million professionals over the next seven years.