New report, supported by Europa Uomo, assesses impact of healthcare staff shortage

A new report  is calling for a widespread re-think of Europe’s cancer services to improve support for healthcare workers and ensure sustainable and equal care for all patients.

Commissioned by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, the report is endorsed by 14 healthcare and patient organisations - including Europa Uomo, which contributed to meetings over the past year.

The report, part of an “Innovation for Sustainable Cancer Care” initiative, is based on research showing that oncology services in Europe are facing critical challenges, with growing demand outstripping the growth of the healthcare workforce.

A European shortage of 4.1 million healthcare workers has been predicted by 2030, putting significant pressure on oncology care and staff, resulting in delayed diagnoses and poorer health outcomes for patients.

The capacity of the cancer care workforce to deliver is likely to be compromised by growing and ageing European populations, alongside the healthcare workforce not growing with demand, says the report. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the issues.

The report identifies ten case studies of innovative practice in cancer care across Europe, which if widely adopted could bring substantial benefit to patients and health systems in all European Member States.

For example, in Germany, remote patient monitoring has shortened the post-surgery hospital stay for colorectal cancer patients, and lightened nursing workload. In Italy, the use of artificial intelligence in lung cancer screening has the potential to reduce radiology workload by 15%.

Read the full report here