From Iceland — Impending Shortage Of Specialist Doctors

Impending Shortage Of Specialist Doctors

Published December 5, 2014

Gabríel Benjamin
Photo by
Landspítali

Data from Landspítalinn, the National University Hospital of Iceland, indicates that 35% of specialist doctors are eligible to retire in the next ten years, 20% in the next five.

Experts have expressed serious concern that Iceland will soon face a shortage of medical specialists if their salaries don’t start reflecting what comparable positions in neighbouring countries yield.

Doctors' Wage Development

At present there is an on-going strike in the profession, where doctors are asking for a 30-36% wage increase. This is the first time doctors strike since they got the right to do so in 1981.

You can read all about the doctor strike and the state of Iceland’s healthcare system in our last issue’s feature, Squeezing Blood From A Turnip.

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