Bridging efforts for a stronger health workforce: synergies between HEROES and H-PASS
The European health workforce is facing unprecedented challenges—from burnout and mental health struggles to the rapid pace of digital transformation. To address these pressures, two projects have taken the lead: JA HEROES, focusing on improve the countries capacity for health workforce planning and H-PASS – Health Professionals’ and the ‘DigitAl team’ SkillS advancement, dedicated to building digital and transversal skills across the sector.
Though their primary focuses differ, the two initiatives are deeply interconnected—and their collaboration has the potential to multiply their impact.
Poster presented at EUPHA Health and Care Workforce Section Mid-term Conference, 20-21 March 2025 Budapest, Hungary.
🧩 Common issues addressed by H-PASS and HEROES
- Health workforce shortages and gaps
- HEROES works to improve forecasting and planning to address shortages.
- H-PASS enhances the adaptability of the workforce through digital and transversal skill development, making the workforce more responsive and flexible.
- Preparing for the future: building a future-proof health workforce
- Both projects are strategically preparing the health workforce for the future, focusing on future-proof skills such as digitalisation, adaptability, and interprofessional collaboration to meet the demands of evolving healthcare systems.
- Data-driven decision-making
- HEROES emphasizes robust data collection and modeling for workforce planning.
- H-PASS can feed into these models with data from pilot training outcomes, especially on digital readiness and interprofessional collaboration.
Importantly, both projects share a commitment to sustainability—not only in their outcomes but in how they engage stakeholders, co-create solutions, and promote local ownership of change.
Breaking down silos
One of the most valuable lessons we learned from our collaboration is the value of not working in silos. Complex challenges require integrated responses. Capacity building, teamwork, communication and digital skills—these are not separate issues, but deeply connected aspects of everyday healthcare delivery.
Key areas of synergy
As both projects progress, we must keep sustainability in mind. Creating toolkits, platforms, and communities of practice that outlast the project timelines is essential. That’s why continuous collaboration between HEROES and H-PASS is a strategic necessity.
Let’s use this momentum to support the people who keep our health systems running—not just today, but in the long term. We all share the same goal, and by working together, we have a better chance of achieving it.