Changes from plenary report to adopted text

RemovedEXPLANATORY STATEMENT

RemovedThe European Union is facing a profound health workforce crisis, which endangers the resilience, sustainability, and quality of its healthcare systems. The present report seeks to provide a comprehensive, coherent, and forward-looking response to this pressing challenge, with the overarching objective of ensuring that every citizen of the Union has access to safe, equitable, and high-quality healthcare.

RemovedThe shortage of doctors, nurses, carers, and other healthcare professionals is deepening and increasingly structural in nature. It is driven by demographic change, population ageing, rising demand for chronic and long-term care, and the widespread burnout that has persisted since the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2030, the Union is projected to face a shortfall exceeding four million health and care workers. Without urgent and coordinated measures, this situation will undermine healthcare delivery, jeopardise patient safety, and weaken public health systems across the Union.

RemovedThis report builds upon the framework of the European Health Union, the Council conclusions of June 2024, and the Bucharest Declaration of March 2023, while responding to the call of the President of the Commission for stronger global health resilience. It sets out concrete measures structured around six central pillars:

Removed1. Employment, working conditions and safeguarding of mental health.

RemovedHealthcare professionals are among the most overstretched occupational groups in the Union. The report underscores the need to improve working conditions, remuneration, career prospects, and protection against violence and harassment. It emphasises the importance of enforcing occupational health and safety legislation, developing robust mental health support mechanisms, and enabling family-friendly work arrangements. Particular attention is devoted to addressing gender inequalities, given that women constitute the majority of the healthcare workforce but continue to face structural disadvantages in terms of pay and career progression.

Removed2. Tackling regional inequalities in access to healthcare.

RemovedThe emergence of “medical deserts” poses a growing risk of widening territorial and social disparities in access to care. The report proposes measures to attract and retain healthcare professionals in underserved regions through targeted incentives, such as housing schemes, scholarships, and enhanced career opportunities. It also promotes the use of telemedicine and the strengthening of community pharmacies as complementary and accessible solutions.

Removed3. Recruitment, mobility and training.

RemovedProfessional mobility within the Union is a key element of the Single Market, yet it must remain fair and sustainable. The report calls for a better implementation of the Professional Qualifications Directive to simplify recognition procedures and promote mutual trust, while preventing brain drain from Member States and from third countries with vulnerable health systems. It advocates for a significant expansion of education and training pathways, including scholarships and upskilling opportunities, with the objective of increasing the Union’s health workforce by at least one million professionals over the next seven years, enabling the financing of an EU plan by authorising the use of ESF+ and cohesion funds for the training of young people, and of cohesion funds to support national implementing plans.

Removed4. Digital transformation.

RemovedIf deployed responsibly, digitalisation can substantially reinforce the health workforce. The report calls for the deployment of secure and interoperable telehealth solutions, and continuous training in digital, biotechnological, and AI-assisted tools. It underlines that technology must complement, rather than replace, human care, while alleviating administrative burdens and enhancing efficiency.

Removed5. Financing and strategic planning.

RemovedSustainable financing and prudent governance are indispensable to deliver effective health workforce reforms. The report stresses the need to optimise the use of existing Union instruments, including EU4Health, Horizon Europe, the European Social Fund Plus, and the Recovery and Resilience Facility, with particular attention to regions experiencing acute shortages. It also underlines the importance of forward-looking workforce planning and monitoring, in close cooperation with the OECD and the WHO.

Removed6. Ethical and sustainable labour models.

RemovedThe report recalls the essential role of general practitioners and primary care providers in prevention and integrated healthcare. It further insists that all reforms must respect the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, while encouraging the coordination and exchange of best practices at European level.

RemovedIn conclusion, the report presents a balanced approach that combines urgent remedial measures with long-term strategic reforms. By focusing on sustainability, decent working conditions, mental health, territorial cohesion, digital innovation, and ethical recruitment, it aims to ensure that the Union is equipped with a resilient and future-proof health workforce. Investment in this workforce is not only a moral obligation but also a prerequisite for sustainable healthcare systems, social cohesion, and Europe’s preparedness for future health and security challenges.