What steps can improve and promote investment in the health and care workforce?

Overview

This policy brief was prepared by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies for the Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health.

Towards an evidence-informed statement of intent: key messages on investing in workforce development

The lessons of resource mobilization during the COVID-19 pandemic show what is possible. There is an urgent need for countries and international actors to apply those lessons to secure sufficient funding for health and care workforce (health and care work workforce) education, employment and retention. Investment needs to 2030 are negligible in comparison to government spending during COVID-19. There is powerful evidence that developing a sustainable health and care work workforce will help deliver on the ambitions of universal health coverage, health security and the Sustainable Development Goals and generate exceptional dividends and co-benefits.

If governments are to take forward the policies and practices that work, they should know the following.

1. Oversupply of health and care workers is the only solution to current challenges and only top-level political leaders’ commitment can secure investment in the health and care work workforce on the scale needed
2. Investing in education supports the health and care work workforce, creates human capital and expands access.
3. Investment will be wasted if the health and care work workforce is not supported and protected and workers leave the sector.
4. Solidarity and cooperation at the multilateral, regional and domestic levels is needed to secure sufficient and sustained investment.