MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the labour migration of hospital workers

B9‑0160/2020

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the labour migration of hospital workers

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel,

– having regard to Rule 143 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the migration of medical doctors and nurses from certain Member States[1], typically those in Eastern Europe, leads to severe shortages of personnel and results in reduced access to quality healthcare;

B. whereas according to the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel, member states ‘should discourage active recruitment of health personnel from countries facing critical shortages of health workers’;

1. Calls for the establishment of a medical workers compensation fund to mitigate the negative effects on the health systems of the countries of origin of health personnel by collecting voluntary contributions from destination countries;

2. Considers that compensation under this fund should reflect the cost of education of health personnel, as well as the scale of the workforce shortage in countries of origin;

3. Considers that the compensation fund should be used to educate doctors and nurses in countries of origin and to offset medical costs for patients from countries of origin wishing to undergo medical treatment in destination countries;

4. Underlines that the compensation fund would be voluntary, and that adherence to it would represent an ethical international recruitment practice.