TRENDS IN SUPPLY OF DOCTORS AND NURSES IN EU AND OECD COUNTRIES Gaétan Lafortune and Liliane Moreira OECD Health Division 16 November 2015, DG Sante, Brussels Expert Group Meeting on European Health Workforce
Source: OECD Analytical framework (Stock/Flow model)
OECD/EUROSTAT/WHO-EUROPE JOINT QUESTIONNAIRE (NON-MONETARY HEALTH CARE STATISTICS)
Background on OECD/Eurostat/WHO-Europe Joint Questionnaire Started in 2010 with data collection on health human resources and physical resources: Extended in 2013 (health care activities) Extended in 2015 (health workforce migration) Aim is to collect internationally comparable data to monitor key aspects and trends in health workforce development (and other resources and activities of health systems) Aim of joint data collection is to: Reduce data collection burden on national authorities Improve consistency of data in international databases 4
Scope of OECD/Eurostat/WHO-Europe Joint Questionnaire Number of health workers Physicians (Doctors) by age and gender by categories (generalists and specialists) Nurses by categories (higher level and lower level) distinguished from health care assistants (nursing aides) Midwives Dentists Pharmacists Physiotherapists New graduates (doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, pharmacists) Health workforce migration, focussing on doctors and nurses (new in 2015) 5
0.3 0.8 0.7 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.7 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.2 3.0 3.0 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.6 2.6 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.2 4.1 4.0 4.0 3.9 3.8 3.7 3.6 3.6 4.3 4.3 4.3 5.0 4.9 6.3 Number of doctors has increased in nearly all EU and OECD countries Per 1 000 population 7 2013 2000 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1. Data include not only doctors providing direct care to patients, but also those working in the health sector as managers, educators, researchers, etc. (adding another 5-10% of doctors). 2. Data refer to all doctors licensed to practice (resulting in a large over-estimation of the number of practising doctors in Portugal, of around 30%). Source: OECD Health at a Glance 2015 (based on OECD/Eurostat/WHO-Europe Joint Questionnaire)
And in some countries, the number of doctors has increased strongly Evolution in the number of doctors, selected OECD countries, 2000 2013 (or nearest year) Australia Japan Canada United States France Spain Germany United Kingdom Index (2000=100) Index (2000=100) 170 170 160 160 150 150 140 140 130 130 120 120 110 110 100 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 100 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 Source: OECD Health Statistics 2015
Driven by inflows of new medical graduates and foreign-trained doctors Annual inflows of foreign-trained doctors and domestic medical graduates, UK, 2000 2014 Domestic graduates Foreign-trained 16 000 14 000 12 000 10 000 8 000 6 000 4 000 2 000 0 Source: OECD Health Statistics 2015 (based on OECD/Eurostat/WHO-Europe Joint Questionnaire) 8
But still, apparently, the rise has not been sufficient in some countries Few facts: Between 2007 and 2014, the number of doctors in UK has increased by 29 000. Since 2010, there are more than 8 400 new medical graduates each year in the UK. If only the last three waves of medical graduates end up working as doctors, this would be enough to completely eliminate the remaining «gap» with the OECD average. (Note: the OECD average is not a «gold standard»; it s just an average!)
A large proportion of doctors is getting closer to retirement age (though the retirement age is also moving up) Share of doctors aged 55 years and over, 2000 and 2013 (or nearest year) 50 40 % 2013 2000 33 33 33 33 34 34 34 36 37 38 40 41 42 43 44 45 49 49 30 25 25 26 26 26 26 27 27 28 21 20 13 15 10 0 Source: OECD Health at a Glance 2015 (based on OECD/Eurostat/WHO-Europe Joint Questionnaire)
Steady decline in the share of generalists in many countries Share of generalists as % of all physicians, selected OECD countries, 1995 2014 55 50 45 40 France Netherlands Germany Belgium 35 30 United Kingdom 25 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Source: OECD Health Statistics 2015 (based on OECD/Eurostat/WHO-Europe Joint Questionnaire) 11
5 12 12 14 15 16 16 19 19 20 20 22 23 27 27 27 28 29 29 31 31 31 33 35 36 38 42 44 45 47 47 49 51 60 61 58 42 40 54 61 63 45 88 86 85 58 80 75 77 62 52 45 73 73 71 70 69 69 65 61 47 58 56 53 53 51 52 40 Ratio of specialists to generalists is now 2:1 on average in EU and OECD countries Generalists and specialists as a share of all doctors, 2013 (or nearest year) % 100 Generalists¹ Specialists² Medical doctors not further defined 80 60 40 20 0 Source: Health at a Glance 2015 (based on OECD/Eurostat/WHO-Europe Joint Questionnaire) 12
1.8 2.6 3.6 6.4 6.2 6.1 6.1 5.8 5.6 5.3 5.2 5.1 4.9 13.0 12.4 12.1 11.9 11.5 11.2 11.1 10.5 10.0 9.5 9.5 9.4 9.1 8.3 8.2 8.0 7.9 14.1 15.5 17.4 16.7 16.3 The number of nurses has also increased in nearly all EU and OECD countries Practising nurses per 1 000 population, 2000 and 2013 (or nearest year) 20 Per 1 000 population 2013 2000 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Source: OECD Health at a Glance 2015 (based on OECD/Eurostat/WHO-Europe Joint Questionnaire)
Proportion of total workforce A growing proportion of nurses are also approaching retirement age: Example of France Share of nurses by age group (% of all nurses), France, 2000 and 2013 (or nearest year) 70% 2000 2013 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% <35 35-54 55+ Age cohort Source: OECD (forthcoming)
But there will be steady inflows of new nurses to replace them 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 Admissions to nursing education, France, 1999-2013 Index (Baseline year = 100) Source: OECD (forthcoming)
OECD PROJECT ON CHANGES IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING CAPACITY (TRENDS AND POLICIES) 16
Education policy is the most important policy lever Source: OECD
Objectives of the study Review recent changes in numerus clausus policies for admissions in medical and nursing education programmes in EU and OECD countries Recent changes also in composition of post-graduate training places in medicine (general medicine versus specialisation) and introduction/expansion of advanced training programmes for advanced nursing roles (e.g., nurse practitioners)
Numerus clausus policies in the past have tended to go through cycles (ups and downs) Evolution of the numerus clausus for medical education, France, 1971-2013 10000 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 Source: ONDPS 2015
Trends in admissions to medical education Number of OECD countries for which admissions to medical education. Increased Remained Constant Decreased 21 10 0 Note: Refers to the period 2007 to 2012. Covers OECD countries in Europe and outside Europe. Source: 2012 OECD Health Characteristics Survey
In some countries, admissions to medical education have grown rapidly; in others, the growth has been more modest Index (Baseline year = 100) Canada, 2000-2012 Sweden, 2000-2013 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 Germany, 2000-2012 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 Poland, 2002-2013 Source: OECD (forthcoming)
Admissions to medical education have stabilised in recent years in some countries, but at a much higher level Index (Baseline year = 100) 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 Netherlands, 2000-2012 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 United Kingdom, 2000-2013 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 France, 2000-2013 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 Spain, 2000-2014 Source: OECD (forthcoming)
Post-graduate training: Some countries making deliberate efforts to increase training places in general medicine Post-graduate trainee places, France, 2004-2013 4,500 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 General Medicine (available) General Medicine (filled) Specialisations (available) Specialisations (filled) Source: OECD (forthcoming)
Large variations across countries in post-graduate training places in general medicine versus different specialties 100% 90% 80% Share of students admitted to general medicine and other specialisations, selected OECD countries, 2013 (or nearest year) General Medicine Other Specialisations 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 52% 56% 60% 63% 48% 44% 40% 37% 73% 73% 77% 81% 27% 27% 23% 19% Source: OECD (forthcoming)
Trends in admissions to nursing education Results from 2012 OECD Health Characteristics Survey. Number of OECD countries for which admissions to nursing education. Increased Remained Constant Decreased 20 9 2 Note: Refers to the period 2007 to 2012. Covers OECD countries in Europe and outside Europe.
In some countries, admissions to nursing education have expanded greatly since 2000 Index (Baseline year = 100) Australia, 2001-2013 United States, 2001-2013 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 250 225 200 175 150 Belgium, 2002-2012 250 225 200 175 150 Finland, 2000-2013 125 125 100 100 75 75 Source: OECD (forthcoming)
United States: From projected shortages of nurses to projected surpluses In 2004: US Department of Health and Human Services projected a shortage of almost one million registered nurses by 2020. In 2014: US Department of Health and Human Services projected a surplus of 340 000 registered nurses by 2025 (mainly because annual training rates have doubled and retention rates have also increased). [Note: 100 000 more nurse graduates per year x 10 years = 1 000 000 nurses] Source: US Department of Health and Human Services (2014), The Future of the Nursing Workforce, National and State Level Projections 2012-2025
Training more advanced nurses also increasing in the United States and some European countries 16,000 Number of students graduating from NP programmes, United States, 2001-2012 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 Source: OECD (forthcoming)
Training more Nurse Practitioners to play a bigger role in primary care: The Netherlands Number of students admitted to NP programmes, Netherlands, 2005-2012 Places filled in medical postgraduate training, Netherlands, 2002-2012 400 350 300 250 200 150 2,000 1,750 1,500 1,250 1,000 750 500 250 0 General Medicine (realization) Other Specialisations (realization) Source: OECD (forthcoming)
Conclusions on Numerus Clausus Policies Numerus clausus policies need to be based on better health workforce data and planning models. Health workforce planning is not an exact science and needs regular updating. Health workforce planning should help avoid a yoyo approach to student intakes and entry into medical and nursing occupations. Supply-side projections need to focus more attention on changing retention and retirement patterns.
Coming out soon Synthesis report on changes in Numerus Clausus Policies: As part of broader publication on health workforce. Country notes 3-5 page individual country notes describing in more detail changes in medical and nursing education and post-graduate training programmes (for all countries with sufficient information).
Thank you Contacts gaetan.lafortune@oecd.org liliane.moreira@oecd.org Website Twitter Newsletter www.oecd.org/health @OECD_Social http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/oecd-health-update.htm