Addressing the Challenges of an Ageing Workforce in Health and Social Care: Social Partner Documents & Research

Addressing the Challenges of an Ageing Workforce in Health and Social Care: Studies, Presentations, Social Partner Documents



1) EPSU & HOSPEEM Activities 2006-2013 + EPSU Position Paper 2012

- EPSU-HOSPEEM Study (2006) “Promoting realistic active ageing policies in the hospital sector”



- Technical Seminar HOSPEEM & EPSU “Managing the ageing workforce: Challenges, opportunities and expériences" (Brussels, 27 April 2012; in the context of the Sectoral Social Dialogue in the Hospital Sector)



EPSU in May 2012 adopted a position paper to underpin EPSU's demands and positions in the context of the social partners' negotiations.

- EPSU Position Paper (31 May 2012) - in EN, FR, DE




- EPSU-HOSPEEM Guidelines & Good Practice Examples "Ageing Workforce Healthcare Sector" (in EN, FR, DE)




The document was endorsed by the HOSPEEM Executive Committee and by the EPSU Standing Committee "Health and Social Services" on 15 October 2013 (15 votes in favour; 5 abstentions; no vote against).

HOSPEEM and EPSU will undertake a review of progress made by their members and consider whether there are any changes that need to be made in order to update the document two years after adoption. By the end of the fourth year after adoption of this document, a report will be issued on the overall implementation of these Guidelines. In this period, social partners in the hospital sector will report at least once a year back to the Social Dialogue Committee about the progress made.

The document is available in EN, FR, DE and ES (SV to be added until the end of 2014).



2) Material or relevant links provided by EPSU affiliates and HOSPEEM members

a) Finland


- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH): Working time + Occupational health - EN



- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH): Shift planning + Ergonomics - EN



- Public Works Department: Helsinki case study in good health age programme - EN



- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH): Article "Extending Employment beyond the Pensionable Age: A Cohort Study of the Influence of Chronic Diseases, Health Risk Factors, and Working Conditions" (February 2014)


b) Germany


- Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheitsdienst und Wohlfahrtspflege (BGW): Älter werden im Pflegeberuf - DE


- Initiative Neue Qualität der Arbeit (INQA)-Ratgeber Demographie: Angebote für Unternehmen im demographischen Wandel - DE


- Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Securing the Future with Prevention: Strategies for a World of Work aligned to Demographic Change - EN

c) The Netherlands


- StAZ: Memo "Active Ageing + Dutch Ageing Workforce Policies" - EN


d) United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland


- DWP: Health Sector: Tackling Ageing Workforce Issues: Resource Pack - EN



- DWP/NHS: Managing Ageing Workforce Health & Social Care - EN



- Agewell Initiative - Sandwell Primary Care Trust (NHS) - EN




- Guide Employers Performance & Retirement Practices (UK) - EN



- RCN: Protecting employment for older nurses - EN



- RCN: Nurses later stage careers - EN




3) Material and links collected by HOSPEEM and EPSU Secretariats

- DG EMPL: Integration Ageing Workforce (2001) - EN



- CEEP: Valuing Age (2003) - EN



- EFILWC: Working conditions ageing workforce (2008) - EN



- EFILWC: Search engine for good practices in ageing management of Eurofound


- OSHA: Thematic Webpage "Ageing Workers - Safety and Health"


- OSHA: Workforce diversity + Risk assessment (2009) - EN



- EU Trio Presidency: Assessing Future Health Workforce Needs (2010) - EN



- HOPE: Ageing Workforce and Ageing Patients (2010)



- ETUI: Occupations and Ageing @ Work (2010) - EN + FR



- Eurofound: Sustainable Work and the Ageing Workforce - Report on the basis of the 5th European Working Conditions Survey (2012)



- DG EMPL: EEO Review - Employment Policies to Promote Active Ageing 2012 (2012) - in EN, FR and DE



- Andrea Winkelmann-Gleed: Demographic change and implications for workforce ageing in Europe: Raising awareness and improving practice (WLRI Working Paper 5) - EN




4) Research Papers and Presentations at Technical Review Seminar "Employment policies to promote active ageing" in the framework of the Mutual Learning Programme under the European Employment Strategy, 11 June 2012, Brussels

- Paper "Globalization and the Labour Market Situation of Older Workers: Exploring Trends, Challenges and Strategies for Adaptation", Dirk Hofäcker, MZES, Mannheim (Germany)


- Paper "Living Longer – Working Better", Donald Storie, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (EUROFOUND), Dublin


- Presentation "Elaborating guidance and good practice in relation to various challenges of an ageing health care workforce: Flashlights on work in progress between EPSU and HOSPEEM", Mathias Maucher, EPSU


- Presentation "The role of measures to encourage older workers to stay longer in the labour process", Jan Schugk, Confederation of Finnish Industries




5) Liaison Forum Social Dialogue, 27 May 2013, Brussels


Presentation "Managing the Ageing Workforce:-A joint priority of HOSPEEM and EPSU, the European Social Partners in the hospital sector: Guidelines and examples of good practice to address the challenges of an agein workforce", Elisa Benedetti, HOSPEEM