Healthcare staffing shortages require a broader perspective

Recently, NU.nl published an article once again highlighting how significant the staffing challenges in healthcare and engineering will be in the coming years. At present, there are over 130,000 vacancies, and that number appears to be rising. For the healthcare sector alone, a shortage of 300,000 employees is expected by 2034.

Behind these figures lies a clear reality: demand for care continues to grow, while the number of available professionals is not keeping pace. Ageing, high workload, and structural absenteeism reinforce one another and put increasing pressure on the sector. Too few colleagues means more strain on the people who are still there, making it ever harder to provide the level of care we are used to in the Netherlands.

At DCG, we believe there are also opportunities. Not by pulling even harder on an already overstretched labour market, but by looking further ahead. By building a bridge. There are countries where large numbers of healthcare professionals are trained, yet where opportunities to practise their profession are limited.

Recruiting international healthcare professionals can therefore make a real difference, not as a temporary fix, but as a sustainable addition to the Dutch labour market. By working closely with both healthcare organizations and committed professionals from abroad, space is created: space to relieve workload, bring stability to teams, and deliver care with genuine attention.