The shortage of healthcare personnel remains the single biggest challenge facing the Dutch care system. Based on the latest white-paper from Zorgvisie and Skipr, here are the essential takeaways – distilled into actionable bullet points for leaders, innovators, and policymakers.

The reality check: 6 critical trends:

• Escalating shortfalls: Projections (Dec 2025) estimate a shortage of 227,000 – 300,000 FTE by 2035, with elderly care (nursing homes + home care) hit hardest.
• Demand outpaces supply: Despite 48,000 new hires in Q3 2025, aging populations and complex care needs grow faster. By 2040, 1 in 4 adults would need to work in care to meet demand – socially unfeasible.
• Persistent absenteeism: Sick leave remains high at 7.9% (end-2025), especially in long-term care (9.5%). Physical/emotional strain and an aging workforce drive long-term absence.
• Administrative burden & safety concerns: Hospital staff spend ~⅓ of time on paperwork; nearly 6 in 10 care workers face patient/family aggression. High workload correlates with higher aggression risk.
• Technology isn’t a silver bullet: Digital tools can save ~27,000 FTE theoretically, but real-world impact depends entirely on implementation. Poor rollout = more admin, not less.
• The shifting role of freelancers: Stricter enforcement on “false self-employment” reduced freelance care workers by 14,000 YoY (Q1 2025). Yet 89% prefer self-employment – creating tension between policy and preference.

Promising solutions: what actually works?

• Expand existing contracts: If current staff work just +1 hour/week on average, a large portion of vacancies could be filled. Pilots show ~9% of staff willingly added ~5 hours/week.
• Reorganize care delivery: Hybrid care (digital + physical), regional flex-pools, and task redistribution could reduce future shortages by ~25% – though implementation takes time.
• Cut admin burden strategically: Government target: ≤20% of time on paperwork by 2030. AI, simplified procurement, and eliminating redundant declarations are key levers.
• Scale proven digital tools: Platforms like Digizo.nu accelerate adoption of validated solutions: telemonitoring for chronic conditions, online triage, and integrated patient records.
• Strengthen regional collaboration: Networks like Zorgcoördinatiecentrum Rijnmond and Utrechtzorg enable shared staffing, joint training, and smarter patient routing – reducing duplication and external hiring.
• International recruitment (with caution): Programs at LUMC, Amsterdam UMC, and UMCG support foreign-trained professionals. But global shortages and legal complexities limit scalability.

The bottom line

No single fix will resolve the crisis. Sustainable progress requires a bundled approach:
✅ Retain and empower existing staff (hours, conditions, autonomy)
✅ Redesign workflows for efficiency, not just digitisation
✅ Invest in implementation – not just innovation
✅ Align policy with frontline reality

At Care IQ, we believe intelligent technology and AI – thoughtfully integrated – can amplify human capacity, not replace it. The goal isn’t just more hands; it’s smarter, safer, and more sustainable care.