Despite the 75 years since the creation of the World Health Organisation and great achievements through medical research, infrastructure and technology, the healthcare sector is facing significant challenges due to staff shortages and difficult work conditions.

Ageing populations and increasing health needs are a growing concern worldwide. The lack of healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and other support staff has a significant impact on the quality and accessibility of care provided to patients. According to Eurofound, the deficit of labour in healthcare in the EU is structural and is predicted to rise to 4.1 million by 2030.

Overworked and overstretched healthcare workers often suffer from burnout and stress, leading to decreased job satisfaction, higher risks for patients and high staff turnover rates. This, in turn, leads to decreased quality of care, longer waiting times for treatments, and an overall decline in the health of the population. In line with the 2023 Bucharest March WHO-Europe (World Health Organisation) declaration, CESI advocates in favour of urgently addressing this reality through sufficient investments in the sector (position) in ways which:

• help step up staff attraction and staff retention. This will most notably require measures for better employment and working conditions in the health and care sectors. Measures should span to pay levels, stress and strain exposure, occupational health and safety standards, and an improved public perception of care professionals and the important work they carry out.
• develop a strategic long-term vision for the healthcare workforce planning, taking into account research, current trends and future projections and the objectives of the EU Care Strategy.
• create a level-playing field to ensure a balance in the provision of accessible, affordable and high-quality health and care services across regions and countries. Healthcare-related disparities, which are fostered by a borderless Single Market to the detriment of less advantaged countries, need to be mediated and tackled by the EU. The Single Market needs a social dimension which also addresses structural imbalances in labour migration, especially in the care sector.
• avoid the creation of medical deserts through proper investments at local and regional levels.
• ensure inclusive consultation and social dialogue for affordable, accessible and high quality healthcare services.

Esther Reyes, President of CESI expert commission ‘Health Services’ declared: “World Health Day is an opportunity to recognise the importance of healthcare workers and the challenges they face in providing quality care to patients. We need to support them more for better health outcomes for all.”