Statistics Poland on medics: the number grows, but the staff is aging

There are more medics - according to the study. In 2020, the number of people with the right to practice increased - doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and laboratory diagnosticians. - The highest increase in 2020 was recorded in the group of laboratory diagnosticians (an increase by 2.4%) and midwives (an increase by 2%) - informs the Central Statistical Office.

92,000 people worked directly with patients (in medical facilities, pharmacies, nurseries, etc.) doctors (1.5% more than in the previous year), dentists - 14,000 (6.2 percent more), pharmacists - 28 thousand. (0.7 percent more), nurses - 191 thousand. (1.1 percent less), midwives –23 thousand. (1.4% more), physiotherapists - 31 thousand. (7.2% more) and laboratory diagnosticians - 12.6 thousand (3.1% more) than in 2019.

The increase in medical staff is good news, but the Central Statistical Office notes that although the number of doctors and dentists has increased, in 2020 there was a disturbing trend in the age structure of this group of doctors. - As in previous years, there was an increase in the number of people belonging to the oldest age group, aged 65 and over. The share of doctors in this group, among doctors and dentists licensed, reached 25.3%. and dentists 22.9 percent - we read in the CSO study.

In the case of doctors (as opposed to dentists), however, there is some light in the tunnel: the Central Statistical Office emphasizes that there has been "an increase in the number and percentage of doctors from the two youngest age groups: under 35 (31 thousand, i.e. 20.1 % of all doctors licensed to practice, which means an increase by 0.3 pp) and in the 35–44 age group, in which the number of doctors amounted to approx. 23 thousand. and accounted for 14.9 percent. of all doctors licensed to practice (increase in share by 0.4 percentage points). ”

The demographic trends in the nursing and midwife professions are unfavorable. - Nurses aged 65 and more accounted for 17.9 percent. all those who have the right to practice this profession. A similar situation occurred also in the 55–64 age group, where the number of nurses increased by almost 3,000. - informs the Central Statistical Office. On the other hand, in the group of midwives in 2020, the highest number is people aged 55–64 (11.6 thousand). For comparison, there are only 4.5 thousand midwives aged 35-44. - this is a real generation gap in this profession.

- The above data confirm the aging trend of the health care system staff. The challenge is to rationally plan the development of medical staff, encourage a sufficient number of people to study medical faculties, so that the replacement of generations in the group of medical personnel is ensured, as well as the best use of their professional potential, in accordance with the needs of the system, and support for the professional development of current employees, and preventing the outflow of health care workers to other professions or their emigration abroad - emphasizes the Central Statistical Office in its report.