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Current and emerging issues in the healthcare sector, including home and community care
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The European health care sector has a critical role to play in the achievement of the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy by contributing to the overall health and well-being of the workforce and society as a whole. In addition, the health and social care sector is also an important employer, whose significance is likely to grow in the context of demographic change. As a result, healthcare employers are not only affected by trends towards an ageing population in terms of the rising demand this places on service delivery, but also in the context of emerging labour market shortages resulting from declining birth rates. By 2030, the population of working age in the European Union (EU) could be reduced from the present 303 million to 280 million. This has implications not only for potential growth and the sustainability of pensions, but also for the funding of the health and social care sector and for the recruitment of workers to provide these services. Although demand for care workers and staff shortages are expected to grow, research shows that the sector often offers poor working conditions and remuneration compared to sectors requiring equivalent levels of skills and training. This has already led to significant mobility of workers within and outside the EU, and could serve to exacerbate skills shortages in the future.
The health and social care sector is one of the largest sectors in Europe, employing around 10 % of workers in the EU, with women accounting for 77 % of the workforce. A significant proportion of healthcare workers are employed in hospitals; however, they can also be found in other workplaces, including nursing and care homes, medical practices and in other health-related activity areas.
European Agency for Safety and Health - Organizational Body
978-92-9240-497-0
NONE
Healthcare Management
English
2014
1-148
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