Malta records highest rate of increase in number of nurses in EU

Malta has registered the highest rate of increase in the number of nurses in the EU, Eurostat figures show.

The statistics indicate that, n relative terms, Malta (+0.7 percentage points), Croatia and Portugal (both +0.5 pp) recorded the highest increase in the shares of nurses in total employment between 2011 and 2019.

In contrast, Ireland (-0.6 pp) recorded the highest decrease in the share of nurses over this period, followed by Luxembourg (- 0.5 pp) and Bulgaria (-0.3 pp).

Reacting to the statistics which were released on Tuesday - International Nurses Day - Health Minister Chris Fearne said that Malta currently had 3,500 nurses working in the public sector, with this set to increase by 162 in the coming weeks when more are expected to graduate.

In 2013, the country had 2,900 nurses.

Fearne also highlighted that Malta's healthcare workforce was amongst the youngest in Europe, indicating that young people where choosing professions in this area.