Nearly 3,000 physiotherapists have quit since April last year, and 70 percent of those still practicing are considering leaving the profession, according to new data from the Dutch physiotherapists’ union FDV. This growing exodus is creating noticeable shortages, especially in Friesland, Zeeland, and Limburg, where patients now face waiting times for pelvic or pediatric physiotherapy, according to Het Parool.
FDV survey of over 1,000 therapists reveals that more than 600 more physiotherapists left the profession last year than entered it. Most of those quitting are young professionals with less than ten years of experience. Meanwhile, 70 percent of current practitioners say they are contemplating leaving the field.
Physiotherapists cite low pay, excessive workloads, and long unpaid hours as primary reasons for quitting, telling the union their salaries do not match the demands of their higher education level. FDV chair Bob van Ravensberg said, “You really see in recent years that working conditions have worsened. I receive heartbreaking emails from people who can no longer afford their weekly groceries or mortgage.”
Low treatment fees are reportedly a longstanding complaint. Therapists earn roughly 35 euros for a 30-minute session and want the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) to establish a minimum fee. The Tweede Kamer has already passed a motion urging action. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) has asked the NZa to investigate the issues and seek solutions.
The union’s research shows that physiotherapists employed in hospitals or rehabilitation centers can earn up to 60 percent more, benefiting from collective labor agreements. “We can’t do that for local physiotherapists because ‘free’ tariffs apply. This means insurers set the fees. To survive, we have to accept what they offer,” Van Ravensberg explained to Het Parool.
He described the system as stuck. Health insurers compete on supplementary insurance by offering better physiotherapy coverage. If one insurer raises fees, premiums rise and customers switch to cheaper competitors. “Yet we treat more than 4 million people annually, while only about 1 percent of the total healthcare budget goes to physiotherapy. We prevent more complex and costly care.”
The union calls the therapist shortage a “societal problem.” Van Ravensberg warned, “We don’t want patients unnecessarily ending up in hospitals. We want to relieve general practitioners. Politicians recognize the importance of physiotherapists, but if this continues, in a few years the healthcare system will face serious bottlenecks.”
The profession is reportedly also losing appeal among students. The numerus fixus (cap on admissions) was removed to encourage more enrollments, but the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences shows a 15 percent decline in new students over the past four years.
“Students already notice during internships how hard the work is for relatively low pay. Behind every physiotherapist who leaves is a personal story,” the union stated.