Category: Events

HOSPEEMNewsEvents
Events, News, Project 2025-2027 on Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-Proofing Skills in Health, Projects Hospeem

HOSPEEM and EPSU host EU workshop in Prague on healthcare workforce challenges

EPSU and HOSPEEM brought together healthcare trade unions, employers, policymakers and experts in Prague on 4-5 June 2026 for the fourth workshop of the EU-funded project “Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-proofing Skills in Health”. The workshop focused on the ageing healthcare workforce and intra-EU mobility.

Participants discussed key challenges facing Europe’s health systems, including ongoing staff shortages, demographic change, evolving skills needs, and the retention of healthcare professionals. The exchanges highlighted a range of experiences and good practices from across Europe, with a focus on strengthening workforce planning, resilience and the sustainability of healthcare services.

The programme included high-level contributions from Adam Vojtěch, Minister of Health, and Dr Ladislav Švec, First Deputy Minister of Health of the Czech Republic, who addressed the future challenges of human resources in healthcare. Ms Yana Andersen from the WHO Regional Office for Europe (Health Workforce and Service Delivery) and Ms Maren Hopfe from the International Labour Organization (ILO), Labour Governance and Sectoral Policies Department presented the state of play on the ageing of the healthcare workforce and the report on Health workforce migration in the WHO European Region.

Presentation by Dr. Ladislav Švec, First Deputy Minister of Health of the Czech Republic

The workshop also brought together representatives from social partner organisations and stakeholders from amongst others Sweden, Finland, Romania, Ukraine and the Czech Republic, who shared national and sectoral perspectives on workforce developments and policy responses.

EPSU and HOSPEEM would like to thank the Confederation of Employers’ and Entrepreneurs’ Associations of the Czech Republic (UZS-CR) and the Trade Union of Health and Social Care Workers of the Czech Republic (OSZSP CR) for their hosting and support in organising the workshop.

Events, Project 2025-2027 on Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-Proofing Skills in Health, Projects Hospeem

Third Workshop of the Joint Project “Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-proofing Skills in Health”

HOSPEEM and EPSU invites you to the third in-person workshop of the joint project on the topic of Digitalisation and Future-proofing Skills in Health in Rome, Italy.

The workshop will focus on how digitalisation and AI can soften the impact of labour shortage in the sector and support healthcare workforce in doing their job while ensuring the protection of workers and patients. In addition, the workshop will include an exchange of best practices on future-proofing skills and career pathways for the healthcare workforce as a crucial component to navigate in evolving landscape of the sector, improve patient-centred care and create a pool of well-trained and motivated healthcare workforce.

Three o'clock 5 – 6 March 2026 (1,5 days)

PinU.I.L. – Unione Italiana del Lavoro, Via Lucullo, 7, 00187, Rome, Italy

The reimbursement for the flight and accommodation is available for the EU participants:

  • Please follow this link to calculate eligible travel costs
  • Maximum reimbursement for accommodation – 114 EUR/night (for up to 2 nights)

The interpretation will be provided for English, Italian and 3 languages to be determined by the number of requests

Please register here

The registration deadline is 4 February 2026

Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact o.horlach@hospeem.eu

Events, News, Project 2025-2027 on Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-Proofing Skills in Health Hospeem

Second Workshop on the Temporary Work Agency of the Joint HOSPEEM-EPSU TaSSEFSH Project

On 3–4 December, HOSPEEM and EPSU held the second workshop of their joint project, Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-Proof Skills in Health, in Hilversum, the Netherlands. With strong support from the Nederlandse Vereniging van Ziekenhuizen (NVZ) and the Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV), representatives of employers and trade unions from across Europe met to exchange best practices on the involvement of temporary work agencies in the healthcare sector and on flexible working patterns in their countries. The workshop took place at Zonnenstraal, a historic former sanatorium in Hilversum.

Johan Siegert (FCB) and Niels Mooij (CAOP) delivered a presentation on the labour market for healthcare and Welfare – “AZW programma”, which was followed by the discussion. Marleen Vos opened the session on good practice presentations with the example from Groene Hart Ziekenhuis (GHZ), Gouda (the Netherlands), in which she explained the FIER programme with the activities of the internal flex agency of GHZ. André Renkema from NVZ delivered the presentation on the Care for the North initiative. Kevin Figgis from SIPTU, Ireland, presented an update on the state of temporary work agencies in the country.

On the second day, the workshop featured presentations on the state of play of the topic in Croatia by Maja Malic (HUP) and in Belgium by Myriam De Bruyn (Zorgnet-Icuro). Questions and comments from the participants followed the session.

This workshop was the second of five in the series. An external researcher will provide a summary of the findings.

Events, News Hospeem

HOSPEEM Becomes a Recognised Non-State actor at WHO European Region

The WHO Regional Committee for Europe has granted the regional accreditation status of non-state actor to HOSPEEM, the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association during its 75th session, held  on 28-30 October in Copenhagen, Denmark.

HOSPEEM Senior Policy Advisor Leonie Martin at the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, 28-30 October, Copenhagen, Denmark

WHO engages with non-State actors to strengthen global and regional health systems, including through participation in WHO meetings such as the Regional Committee for Europe, the highest decision-making body in the European Region.

Marta Branca, HOSPEEM Secretary General said:

HOSPEEM values the recognition of the role that social partners play in supporting the work of WHO Europe. Our organisation is keen to contribute to the collaborative efforts aimed at strengthening health systems across the European region.
Gaining non-State Actor status enables us to further support WHO Europe in implementing its newly adopted Second European Work Programme and bring our perspective to the table.

WHO engages with non-State actors to strengthen global and regional health systems, including through participation in WHO meetings such as the Regional Committee for Europe, the highest decision-making body in the European Region.

HOSPEEM’s contributions to the work of WHO Europe will include:

  • Supporting the EU-funded “Nursing Action” project;
  • Monitoring and advancing the Framework for Action on the health and care workforce in the WHO European Region 2023-2030;
  • Participating in WHO Europe learning cycles and sharing insights from the European Social Dialogue.

HOSPEEM looks forward to actively collaborating with WHO European Region and other stakeholders to promote resilient, inclusive, and sustainable health systems across the region.

Events, Project 2025-2027 on Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-Proofing Skills in Health, Projects Hospeem

Second Workshop of the Joint Project “Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-proofing Skills in Health”

HOSPEEM and EPSU invites you to the second in-person workshop of the joint project on the topic of Temporary Work Agency in the Netherlands

Three o'clock 3 – 4 December 2025

PinCampus Zonnestraal, Loosdrechtse Bos 7B, Hilversum, the Netherlands

The reimbursement for the flight and accommodation is available for the EU participants:

  • Please follow this link to calculate eligible travel costs
  • Maximum reimbursement for accommodation – 133 EUR/night (for up to 2 nights)

The interpretation will be provided for English, French, German, Italian and Dutch

Please register here

The registration deadline is 7 November 2025

Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact o.horlach@hospeem.eu

Events, News, Project 2025-2027 on Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-Proofing Skills in Health, Projects Hospeem

First Workshop on Mental Health and Work-Life Balance of TaSSEFSH Project took place in Copenhagen

On 25–26 September, HOSPEEM and EPSU held the first workshop of their joint project, Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-Proof Skills in Health, in Copenhagen. With strong support from Danske Regioner and Dansk Sygeplejeråd, they brought together representatives of employers and trade unions to exchange good practices on mental health and work–life balance.

The session was opened by representatives from the European Commission and WHO Europe. EU-OSHA also delivered a presentation to frame the discussion.

Anne Grethe Larsen, Director of Næstved, Slagelse and Ringsted Hospitals, presented a project on flexible working hours, which aims to create a sustainable working environment by introducing greater flexibility in work scheduling.

On the second day, the workshop featured a presentation of good practices on mental health from KT, the Finnish employers’ organisation.

This was followed by a presentation on the initiative “Kobling” – aimed at improving the psychological work environment and recognised with the Occupational Health and Safety Award in 2022 – by Sofie Jaspers, a researcher at the National Research Centre for the Working Environment. Afterwards, Daniel Rausner, Director of the Department of HR and Education in Region Hovedstaden, gave a presentation on onboarding practices.

This workshop was the first of five in the series. A summary of the findings will be provided by an external researcher.

Events, Project 2025-2027 on Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-Proofing Skills in Health, Projects Hospeem

First Workshop of the Joint Project “Tackling Staff Shortages and Ensuring Future-proofing Skills in Health”

HOSPEEM and EPSU invites you to the first in-person workshop of the joint project on the topic of Mental Health and Work-Life Balance in Copenhagen, Denmark

Three o'clock 25 – 26 September 2025

PinScandic Copenhagen, Vester Søgade 6, 1602 Copenhagen, Denmark

The reimbursement for the flight and accommodation is available for the EU participants:

  • Please follow this link to calculate eligible travel costs
  • Maximum reimbursement for accommodation – 158 EUR/night (for up to 2 nights)

The interpretation will be provided for English, French, German, Spanish and Danish

Please register here

The registration deadline is 24 August 2025

Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact o.horlach@hospeem.eu

Activities, Events, FINANCE 4 EPSR, Projects Hospeem

Join the Finance4EPSR project workshop, 17 January 2025 in Brussels

HOSPEEM, together with SGI Europe and HEAG, will organise the Finance4EPSR project workshop on 17 January 2025 in Brussels where the participants will discuss different aspects of sustainable finance. Online participation is possible.

The main meeting objectives are to deepen the knowledge about the practical impact of a social taxonomy into the business life of enterprises delivering services of general interest and to develop a methodology for guiding non-financial reporting to foster SGIs contributions towards the implementation of the EPSR.

Please register until 8 January 2025 here

Events, News, Social Dialogue Hospeem

Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee in hospital and healthcare sector is the first to endorse the Updated Guidelines to prevent third-party violence

Together with employers from central governments, local and regional governments, education and horeca sectors, HOSPEEM concluded negotiations with respective trade union counterparts to update the European Multi-sectoral Social Partners Guidelines to prevent and tackle third-party violence and harrassment related to work. Amongst others, the update introduces a gender-perspective to the topic and reflects the further digitalization that has occurred since 2010.

While the Social Dialogue Committee in the hospital and healthcare sector became the first to approve the content of the updated guidelines in November 2024, the text will be signed once all involved sectors have approved too.

Events, Harnessing Talent in Europe's Regions, News, Non classé, Projects Hospeem

Harnessing Talent Platform Working Groups in-person meeting

On 11 October 2024, the European Commission’s DG REGIO hosted partners of the Harnessing Talent Platform, a knowledge-building and experience-sharing initiative aimed at fostering dialogue among relevant stakeholders at the European, national, and regional levels. Since the establishment of four working groups in autumn 2023, focusing on Digital, Health, Research & Innovation, and Territorial issues, eleven issue papers have been published. These papers identify the scope of the challenges and propose actionable outputs.

This meeting brought together representatives from all working groups to discuss key issues, short- and long-term outcomes, and potential synergies within the platform and with other EU initiatives, such as the Pact for Skills, the European Cluster Collaboration Platform, and the Rural Revitalisation Platform.

In his opening remarks, François Gallaga (DG REGIO) emphasised that the competitiveness of the European economy depends on its ability to address current and future skills gaps. Following parallel meetings of the working groups, participants identified cross-cutting issues, reflected on external synergies, and discussed the next steps to deliver outputs in line with the work plan.

HOSPEEM is part of the Health Working Group, which focuses on the subtopic of improving service models and working conditions.

Learn more

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