Like many developed countries, Slovenia is facing an ageing population and increased needs for long-term care services. An ageing population also results in an ageing workforce performing these services. As the personnel shortage in long-term care poses a very serious challenge, the Ministry of a Solidarity-Based Future decided to tackle the issue and ensure the conditions for boosting employment in social assistance.

The National Assembly today approved the proposed Act on temporary measures to improve personnel and working conditions, as well as the capacities of providers of social assistance and long-term care services, thereby stimulating employment in social assistance and long-term care. The Act brings key measures aimed at increasing and maintaining the accessibility of social assistance and long-term care services, providing support for and relieving the burden on the personnel performing these services, ensuring the adequate number of qualified professionals and increasing the quality and safety of these services.

The total value of the eight measures and the Act to be implemented in 2024, 2025 and 2026 is estimated at nearly ten million euros.

The Act will enable and co-finance the acquisition of a national vocational qualification, improve the conditions for strengthening volunteer work for providers of social assistance and long-term care services, establish a quality and safety assurance system for providers, co-finance the acquisition of modern technologies to assist personnel with complex tasks, provide for integration programmes and additional tasks of the Employment Service of Slovenia in hiring foreigners, co-finance the costs of employee education for providers’ needs and introduce a scholarship system.

Upon the Act’s adoption, Minister Simon Maljevac, whose competencies include long-term care, said, "We are aware that the proposed measures before you are merely a small part of a complete solution for urgent matters that must be resolved regarding social assistance and long-term care. The Ministry believes that another essential element is appropriate remuneration, which is already being discussed in wage negotiations. However, the adopted solutions add fresh impetus to employment at homes for the elderly and in long-term care in general. We also consider it a great success that the substance and list of measures have been developed with the broad support of the professional community, namely representatives of service providers, trade unions, professional chambers, societies and non-governmental organisations, thus by a wide social and political consensus."

The central aims of all social assistance and long-term care measures developed, proposed and implemented by the Ministry are maintaining and strengthening the public service network and access to high-quality care for all.