The European healthcare sector is currently facing a crisis with chronic staff shortages, low pay, and increasing levels of overtime leading to strikes in countries such as Germany, Slovenia, and Sweden. In Sweden, healthcare workers went on strike for the first time in 16 years to protest against their working conditions, resulting in reduced working hours and a salary increase for some members of the Swedish Association of Health Professionals. The deteriorating working conditions are causing health workers to leave Sweden for neighbouring countries, further exacerbating the shortage of healthcare professionals in the region. The situation is similar across the European Union, with an ageing population and increasing demand for healthcare services contributing to the workforce crisis.
A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe highlighted the challenges faced by health systems in Europe and Central Asia, including an ageing health workforce and poor mental health among healthcare professionals. The report emphasized the shortage of health workers compared to the growing demand, leading to a “ticking timebomb” situation in health systems across the region. The deteriorating working conditions are leading to strikes by healthcare professionals seeking improved working conditions and better support.
In Germany, doctors at state-owned university hospitals staged a strike to demand a 12.5% pay rise and higher bonuses for working nights, weekends, and holidays. The Marburger Bund, a trade union representing doctors, organized the strike after failed negotiations with hospital managers. In Slovenia, doctors and dentists went on strike in the country’s longest-ever doctors’ strike to pressure the government into honoring commitments to health reforms. These strikes reflect the growing frustration among healthcare workers across Europe regarding their working conditions.
In France, medical students and doctors are protesting against a controversial medicine education reform that will reduce the number of junior doctor positions available this year. The reduction in positions has raised concerns among students and trade unions, who claim that the reform negatively impacts their academic results and mental health. Some students have chosen to repeat years or fail exams to protest the changes, leading to a decrease in the number of junior doctors available to work in hospitals. The situation is causing distress among medical students and may lead to a shortage of healthcare professionals in the country.
The Bucharest Declaration on the health and care workforce, adopted by WHO Europe representatives in 2023, calls for political action to improve the recruitment and retention of health workers, optimize workforce performance, and increase public investment in workforce education. While there may be hope for improving the situation in European hospitals through the implementation of such declarations, the challenges faced by healthcare professionals, including deteriorating working conditions, exhaustion, and low wages, continue to impact the quality of care provided to patients. The ongoing debates and protests in various European countries underscore the urgent need to address the healthcare crisis and support healthcare workers in the region.
