In the opinion of Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping (SPD), care for the elderly and sick in Saxony will not be possible in the future without skilled foreign workers. "In the foreseeable future, it will only be possible to provide nursing care for people in Saxony with the support of foreign nursing staff. We urgently need them," Köpping told the German Press Agency. In outpatient and inpatient care alone, there will be an additional need for at least 5,000 nursing staff by 2035 compared to 2021.
Saxony's hospitals and care facilities are already struggling with acute staff shortages. This is likely to worsen as Saxony's population is getting older - one in four people are already over 65. "In the coming years, the proportion of people over 65 will continue to rise. We are getting older and older," said the Minister. This will exacerbate the shortage of skilled workers - especially in the field of medical care and nursing.
