A new agreement has been reached between the government, Danish Regions, and KL (Local Government Denmark) to address the shortage and uneven distribution of medical specialists across the country. The billion-dollar “spring agreement” aims to transform the healthcare system by shifting services out of hospitals and closer to citizens.

The agreement includes a significant increase in the number of training positions for medical specialists, particularly in general medicine, psychiatry, and geriatrics. Starting in 2026, 130 additional medical specialists will be trained annually, bringing the total to a record high of 1270. The Danish Medical Association welcomes this move as a step towards alleviating the shortage of 2000 specialists.

Chairman of the Danish Medical Association, Camilla Rathcke, emphasized the importance of medical specialists, calling them the backbone of the healthcare system. She acknowledged the minister’s responsiveness to the association’s long-standing efforts to address the specialist shortage.

The agreement also introduces a ceiling on specialist positions at university hospitals and other hospitals in the capital region. The Danish Medical Association has expressed concerns about this measure, cautioning that it could have a negative impact on affected hospitals before any positive effects are seen in areas where more specialists are needed.

The “spring agreement” allocates DKK 4.2 billion to transfer healthcare tasks from municipalities to regions, and DKK 3.5 billion for construction and investments in IT, technology, and equipment. The agreement is part of the larger health reform from November 2024 and ensures the financial resources needed to move tasks from the municipalities to the regions.