5 months Ago
A survey by FDV of 1,000-plus therapists found that over 600 more left the field last year than entered. Most of those leaving are younger therapists with fewer than 10 years of experience.
Exodus Begins as Demands of Job and Low Pay Take Toll
Low pay, heavy workloads and long hours worked unpaid are the main reasons for the mass exodus, physiotherapists say. Many say their pay does not line up with the amount of education the job demands. The head of the FDV chair Bob van Ravensberg has said that some therapists are finding it hard to meet fundamental living costs: "I get tear-jerking emails from people who can no longer afford their weekly groceries or their mortgage.
Today, therapists charge approximately 35 euros per half hour—pushing the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) for a standardized base rate. The Tweede Kamer has already voted on a motion on this, and the Minister of VWS has asked NZa to find a solution.
Systemic Problems and Loss of Student Engagement
Read also: Dutch home care workers to go on strike FDV points out that hospital and rehabilitation centre therapists can make up to 60 per cent more than community-based therapists, thanks to collective labour agreements. Local physios, in contrast, depend on 'free' tariffs set by insurers, which puts financial pressure on them. The system is at a stalemate, Ravenberg said, with health insurers being afraid to increase premiums and risk losing customers who can now switch health insurers in general.
Although it treats more than 4 million people a year, however, physiotherapy makes up just 1 per cent of the healthcare budget. Neglecting the shortfall will only increase the burden on GPs and hospitals, and turn workforce shortages into a national health crisis, the union says.
Curiosity about the profession is waning in addition among students. While enrolments in programs have been capped to get more students in, there has been a 15 per cent drop over the past four years in the number of new physiotherapy students, according to the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences. "Students already know from their internships that the work is hard and the pay is low. Behind every physiotherapist who goes is a human story," the union continued.
