Czechia tackles healthcare workforce age timebomb

In a strategic move to address the ageing healthcare workforce, the Czech Health Ministry and university leaders presented a multi-year investment programme to expand capacities at public universities for non-medical health professions.

From 2026 to 2037, the Czech government will allocate approximately €500 million to help train more general nurses, paediatric nurses, paramedics, midwives, radiological assistants, and nutrition therapists.

The programme aims to increase the number of students admitted to these study fields by at least 20% while improving teaching facilities and recruiting academic staff.

This year, €8 million has already been released to support admission procedures and preparations.

“Although we have a relatively high number of healthcare workers compared to other EU countries, the structure of the workforce is changing. We’re responding early – with a clear plan, funding and support from partners,” said Czech Health Minister Vlastimil Válek (TOP 09, EPP) on Wednesday (9 July).

Preventive approach

“If we want to maintain the accessibility and quality of care in the future, we must have enough educated and motivated people. This programme brings concrete steps to achieve that,” Válek added.

Válek stressed that workforce capacity in healthcare cannot be increased overnight. “That is why early forecasting of healthcare personnel is an absolute strategic necessity,” he said.

The new concept aims to both preserve the accessibility of care and reduce the average age of healthcare professionals.

Ladislav Dušek, director of the Institute of Health Information and Statistics (ÚZIS), emphasised the urgent need for expansion.

“Data clearly shows that increasing the capacity of schools is essential. This programme is a preventive step, it will allow universities to admit at least 20% more students and thus ensure the long-term sustainability of the healthcare workforce,” Dušek explained during a press conference on Wednesday.

“It’s a strategic measure”

University leaders were closely involved in shaping the programme and report that early results are already visible.

According to Prague’s Charles University and the Czech Rectors Conference, the initial investment released this year has helped universities increase their intake of students in non-medical health professions.

The approach builds on a previous programme launched in 2019 to support general medicine studies, which led to a notable rise in graduates and is now considered a successful model.

Education officials see the new programme as a logical extension, aimed at securing long-term personnel stability across the health sector.

“It’s a strategic measure. The Czech population is ageing, and the healthcare system must adapt. This programme will ensure enough professionals and stable conditions for their training,” said Zdeněk Horák, Rector of the Polytechnic University in Jihlava and Vice-Chair of the Czech Rectors Conference.

Universities are already taking steps to expand capacity, both in terms of infrastructure and academic staffing. With student interest in non-medical programmes on the rise, the targeted 20% increase in admissions for this year appears within reach.

Early figures also suggest a growing number of academics are getting involved in training the next generation of healthcare professionals.

To support this effort, the Czech Health Ministry is rolling out additional measures to make education pathways more flexible, improve links between teaching and clinical environments, and retain qualified teaching staff.

The programme also includes reforms to streamline specialisation training, strengthen practical education, and introduce psychosocial and administrative support.

[Edited by Vasiliki Angouridi, Brian Maguire]