Impending Shortage Of Specialist Doctors

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.

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.

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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.