Rise in non-clinical hospital staff raises funding priority questions

A new analysis by the liberal think tank CEPOS shows that while Danish public hospitals and psychiatric services have added over 10,000 full-time positions in the past six years, nearly half—around 4,900—are non-patient-facing roles, often referred to as “cold hands.”

The report, based on data from the Municipalities and Regions Pay Office, reveals that administrative staff, academics, and other non-clinical categories have grown by 4,200 positions. In the same period, only 537 nurses and 2,827 doctors were hired, a 1.5% increase.

Karsten Bo Larsen, CEPOS research director, questions whether these hiring priorities align with the stated goal of boosting “warm hands”—clinical staff like nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals who work directly with patients.

“It’s worth asking whether the hiring we’ve seen over the past six years is the right approach,” Larsen told DR’s P1 Morgen, noting that the shift toward non-clinical roles deviates from the usual distribution on hospital staff.

He also points to a productivity decline in public hospitals from 2019 to 2025 as further evidence of potential misallocation. Political pressure to spend increased healthcare budgets may lead hospitals to hire non-clinical staff when clinical roles go unfilled, creating what Larsen calls a “drainage problem.”

Danske Regioner, the association of Danish regions, acknowledged the increase in administrative roles but emphasized efforts to minimize administrative costs. In a written response, they stated: “We have an agreement with the government on administrative savings. While the overall rise in healthcare staffing is positive, we must ensure resources are used optimally for patient benefit.”

Health and Interior Minister Ida Auken was unavailable for comment due to leave.