Skills shortage - Demand for nursing staff remains high - 7300 unfilled positions
The shortage of skilled workers in the care sector continues - although the number of workers in healthcare professions has increased even during the pandemic. This is according to a report published every two years by the state government on the training and skills situation in the healthcare sector.
According to the report, there are currently at least 7300 vacancies in the nursing and healthcare sector. Even in view of the large number of expected retirements in the coming years, securing the demand for skilled workers therefore remains a challenge, emphasized State Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) on Monday at the presentation of the report. According to the Minister, the study had revealed a lot of light, but also one or two dark sides in this area.
The widely feared flight from the nursing professions during the coronavirus pandemic did not occur in North Rhine-Westphalia, noted the responsible expert Michael Isfort. The report points out that the number of employees in hospitals, care homes for the elderly and outpatient services increased by a total of around 13,400 between 2019 and 2022.
However, according to the forecasts, around 8,600 trained nursing staff per year will be less and less sufficient in the coming years to fill the positions that will become vacant due to increased retirements. According to Isfort, an additional increase in personnel cannot be realized either now or in the future. It is also unclear whether it will be possible to maintain the current high number of trainees, although the overall number of school leavers is falling.
Press release with link to the report
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The ongoing shortage of skilled workers in the care sector, specifically in healthcare professions, includes a deficit of around 7300 vacancies in nursing and healthcare jobs in North Rhine-Westphalia. This issue was highlighted in a recent report presented by State Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU), who emphasized the challenge of meeting the demand for skilled workers even with a high number of retirements expected. Despite the increase in healthcare workers in North Rhine-Westphalia during the pandemic, as noted by expert Michael Isfort, the growing number of retirements may outpace the supply of trained nursing staff. The further reduction in the number of trained nursing staff per year, as forecasted, raises concerns about filling the upcoming vacancies.
Source: www.stern.de
