Health and Social Services
Health and Social Services (HSS) is a large and diverse sector that encompasses a wide range of services including hospitals, child care, community health services, social work and care homes for older and disabled people. EPSU represents health and social services workers across Europe, including nurses, health care assistants, midwives, doctors, elderly and child care workers, social workers, laboratory staff, hospital cleaners and medical secretaries. We organise in public, non-for-profit and private services.
EPSU is the recognised European social partner organisation for workers in the hospital and health care sector throughout the European Union.
Adam Rogalewski is the EPSU Policy Officer for the sector. The President of the EPSU Standing Committee for Health and Social Services is Kirsi Sillanpää, Tehy, Finland, and the Vice-Presidents are Yolanda Gil of CC.OO (Spain), Dietmar Erdmeier of Ver.di (Germany) and Razvan Gae of Sanitas (Romania). You can get their contact details here.
Find out who is your national EPSU representative for health and services below.
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Clariane (formerly Korian) reaffirms its commitment to work with European Work Council and trade unions in the period of restructuring
During the plenary meeting of the European Society Works Council (ESWC) on the 23 November with the participation of a EPSU representative the council together with the Group Management Board issued a joint statement.
INQPS project – insourcing, remunicipalisation and quality public services
In April 2023 EPSU and PSI, the European and global trade union federations representing public service workers, launched the INQPS project aimed at developing an online course on insourcing/remunicipalisation –
How can European Works Councils help organise workers in multinational health and care companies?
The demand for care provision is growing due to population aging and, as such, the number of private multinational companies operating in the health and social care (HSS) sector has also grown.
Managing Safe Staffing levels, task shifting and wages on the agenda for discussion at the 4th Health Care Assistants Network Meeting
The Healthcare Assistants network (HCA) met virtually to discuss ongoing issues regarding safe staffing levels, HCA wages, and the overall HCA situation in Europe at the moment.
Staff shortages, mental health and social dialogue discussed by health and social care trade unions
45 participants, including external speakers, discussed developments in the health and care sector taking place since the previous meeting in February of this year, including the urgent issue of staff shortages, retention and recruitment.
Health and care workers need meaningful European policy - not words
Following the comments of Ursula Von den Leyen in her State of the Union address and the comments of other DG SANTE officials on the issue of the health and care workforce, EPSU wants to point out that political speeches need to be followed by concrete policies and concrete proposals.
EPSU Childcare network discussed monitoring and evaluation in early childhood education and care
On 20th September 2023 the EPSU Childcare network met to discuss monitoring and evaluation in early childhood education and care, and the results of a survey on working conditions and professionalisation.