20 years of Sectoral Social Dialogue in the Hospital and Healthcare Sector

On 4 November 2026, HOSPEEM and EPSU celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for the Hospital Sector (SSDC-HS), marking two decades of dialogue, cooperation and joint efforts between healthcare employers and trade unions at the European level.

The anniversary celebration brought together representatives of the European Commission, WHO Regional Office for Europe, and current and former social partners to reflect on the achievements of the past 20 years, share experiences and lessons learned, and look ahead to the future of social dialogue in the sector.

Nicolas Pradalié (DG EMPL) and Katarzyna Ptak Bufkens (DG SANTE) highlighted the institutional perspectives from the European Commission, while Margrieta Langins (WHO Regional Office for Europe) shared a contribution on behalf of WHO/Europe.

The celebration also featured reflections from current and former social partners, including Kirsi Sillanpää, Tjitte Alkema, Razvan Gae, Marta Branca.

EPSU General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan and HOSPEEM Secretary General Sylvie Slangen shared their aspirations for the next 20 years. In her speech, Sylvie Slangen shared:

“Twenty years of European social dialogue in the hospital and healthcare sector have taught us that our strength lies in learning from our differences and working towards shared goals. Employers and trade unions bring valuable knowledge and experience to strengthen healthcare systems across Europe. We value the European Commission’s support and look forward to building on this partnership, with mutual trust and respect for national realities.”

The plenary meeting also addressed several important topics shaping the future of the European healthcare workforce:

• Skill mix: Anita Jans, Director of Patient Care at Sint-Truiden Hospital, and Bob Van Santbergen, Healthcare Staff Advisor at Zorgnet-Icuro, shared their perspectives on skill mix in healthcare. Presenters gave a valuable insight into new models of care, that embrace a broader view of roles and competencies through a dynamic interprofessional approach. They described how to pilot a skill mix strategy in different ways and in different hospitals illustrating recent organizational changes and evolving paradigms in the healthcare and hospital sector.

• Fair Labour Mobility Package: DG EMPL presented the European Commission’s initiative and its relevance for the healthcare sector.
• Katarzyna Ptak-Bufkens (DG SANTE) presented the report of the Health Systems Performance Assessment Expert Group, addressing staffing levels across European healthcare systems.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to continuing this collaboration, bringing new perspectives and developing new ways of working together to support the healthcare workforce of tomorrow.

A big thank you to all current and former members, speakers and partners who have contributed to these 20 years of European social dialogue!