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HOSPEEM and EPSU workshop on digitalisation and future-proofing skills in Rome

The EU-funded TaSSEFSH project continued its work on addressing healthcare workforce challenges through a workshop held in Rome, focusing on digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and future-proofing skills in the health sector. The event gathered European and national stakeholders to exchange experiences on how healthcare systems can better respond to evolving workforce demands and service needs.

Key contributions from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) highlighted the Union of Skills initiative. Insights were also shared by EUREGHA and AGENAS, alongside presentations on the BeWell project and the JA HEROES initiative, both focusing on workforce planning and capacity building in healthcare systems and upskilling and reskilling on green and digital transition.

National social partners contributed practical examples of workforce  and skills development, drawing on experiences from Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Ukraine, and Georgia.

The workshop underlined the importance of cooperation between social partners. Participants agreed that sustained collaboration is essential to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped with the skills needed for future challenges and to support sustainable, high-quality healthcare systems across Europe.

The project report is available here.

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 provided a summary of the key findings available in the following report.

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 are provided in the workshop report.