Addressing Healthcare Workforce Challenges Together

The labor market in the Netherlands is under significant strain, and healthcare is one of the sectors most affected. This impacts all of us. Ahead of an upcoming Commission debate on Labor Market Policy in Healthcare in our national parliament (Tweede Kamer) on December 19, we’ve sent a letter to the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Fleur Agema, Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Eddy van Hijum, Ministry of health welfare and sport, and the Parliamentary Committee. In this letter, together with our partners, we share key points to address the challenges in the healthcare workforce, drawing on the expertise of our partners at Leiden Bio Science Park:

1. Prioritize education and mentorship – Reinstate crucial funding like the Stagefonds Zorg to ensure students gain practical training for healthcare careers.
2. Support innovation and prevention – Integrate advancements and preventive care to ease workloads and improve efficiency.
3. Simplify collaboration – Remove the 21% VAT on staff sharing to enable regional partnerships and strengthen healthcare systems.

We welcome all stakeholders to discuss strengthening the healthcare workforce together. Let’s work toward meaningful change.

With thanks to our partners:

Municipality of Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden University of Applied Sciences, mboRijnland, LUMC, TNO, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, and Bristol Myers Squibb.

We invite all stakeholders to join us in conversation about strengthening the healthcare labor market. Let us work together on sustainable and meaningful change.

With thanks to our partners: Municipality of Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden University of Applied Sciences, mboRijnland, LUMC, TNO, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, and Bristol Myers Squibb.