Strengthening data for planning a sustainable health workforce: what data to collect for health workforce development and why

Background: A strong and responsive health workforce (HWF) is essential for sustainable health care systems. Planning the appropriate HWF for provision of high-quality care and moving towards universal health coverage is a key issue for health policy, in which education and labour market dynamics should be taken into consideration. The macro-level trends and challenges significantly influence the operation of health care systems; thus, health care professionals and systems are expected to be responsive, resilient and able to undergo transformations to maintain sustainability. Objective: The main objectives of this paper are to synthesize key findings from recent European Union projects on HWF education and labour market composition issues and to provide a comprehensive overview of the benefits of data complexity and data-driven policy-making in a rapidly changing environment. Methods: Previous evidence and studies linked to the HWF were included in the review. Key projects, project policy documents, research papers, reports and books in the HWF field were identified through a process of expert reference and literature searches, for which the inclusion criteria were set to include international projects focusing on the HWF in the European Union and WHO European Region. Results: In terms of education and labour market composition, HWF data and policy show wide variety in different European countries. Global initiatives for harmonization were carried out regarding data collection, indicators and data content supporting HWF planning and overcoming critical challenges. No comparable international standards are in use, since HWF data management and planning are still matters of national competence. Conclusion: Macro-level trends in the current rapidly changing environment show several challenges related to HWF, including altered care patterns, new skill requirements, shortages and/or maldistribution of health professionals and mobility. These cannot be handled in isolation. They can, however, be solved by using appropriate, valid and reliable data in data-driven health policy. This goal requires proper information flow and the collaboration of different stakeholders in the global arena.