Warning of nursing shortage for new EU states

The new European Union member states will be hit by a shortage of nursing staff unless steps are made to retain healthcare workers, an EU commissioner warned today.

The EU’s standing committee of nurses, PCN, handed over two documents concerning best practice for the health service across the newly enlarged EU to Irish Commissioner, David Byrne.

“Despite their diversity, health systems across the union do have many things in common,” Mr Byrne said at the Irish Nurses Organisation symposium in Dublin today.

“They share common values, health systems throughout Europe are committed to ensuring universal access to high quality care financed on the basis of solidarity.”

Mr Byrne warned the service faces common challenges, including the ageing population, increasing pressure on resources, new medical technologies raising the cost and citizens’ expectations increasing.

Stephen McMahon, chairman of the Irish Patients Association called for Europe-wide Patients Charter to be brought into law to guarantee millions of EU citizens a platform of health service rights.

“We hope that in the new Europe this will be an important aspect of building a wider European society,” Mr McMahon said of the charter which is supported by 14 healthcare groups throughout Europe.