Healthcare workers increasingly resign, call in sick

Employees in healthcare are increasingly resigning to go work elsewhere, either at another healthcare institution or in a different sector entirely. Absenteeism in healthcare is also at the highest point in five years, according to figures by research agency EY, NOS reports.

Staff turnover in healthcare is currently over 13 percent and absenteeism at almost 6 percent. Both turnover and absenteeism are highest in mental health care, youth care and care for the disabled.

"We see that people are bought by one care provider from the other by offering them a higher salary", Rob Leensen of EY said to NOS. "Not yet on a very large scale, but it is starting to become a bit of a fighters market."

Due to the booming economy, there are staff shortages in several sectors. But the healthcare sector is overrepresented in this. Five of the 10 professions that are facing massive shortages are health care professions, like psychiatrists and district nurses.