As a medical doctor and Member of the European Parliament, I believe Europe’s greatest healthcare challenge is no longer simply developing breakthrough technologies. It is ensuring that our healthcare workforce is ready to use them. Without skilled professionals, resilient health systems and sufficient capacity, even the most revolutionary innovation will fail to reach patients.
This conviction has shaped my work as the European People’s Party’s shadow rapporteur on the European Parliament’s joint report on healthcare workforce shortages, adopted by a large majority in the Committees on Public Health (SANT) and Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL). Our report recognises that Europe needs more than a strategy to fill vacancies—it needs a long-term vision for preparing healthcare professionals for a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.
This report was successfully voted on 17 September in the Plenary in Strasbourg, showing a strong message, across political groups. I wish to continue to make the healthcare workforce a central part of Europe’s health and competitiveness agenda.