Kirsty Mckenzie
FOR women looking to embark on a demanding career in the health sector, making sure they earn a fair amount for all their hard work could be a driving factor in deciding where to relocate.
Spain has been named one of the top countries for women in health care, according to new data by Lenstore.
Ranking number nine on the list, the country was found to offer some of the best opportunities in Europe.
This is down to a number of factors including average working hours, yearly salary, holiday allowance and the number of women in the industry.
But upon closer inspection of the Lenstore study, Spain and the rest of Europe have a long way to go until equality is achieved.
In Spain the average female pay for health professionals stands at €29,800, far lower than the €39,616 average annual salary for men.
In France, which was ranked as the best country in Europe to be a female healthcare professional, women still make an average of €7,000 a year less than their male counterparts.
However France is home to the highest number of females studying medicine at 109,849 (63% of students), which is more than double any other country analysed.
It is also generous in the amount of holidays females in the health profession receive, equating to 34 days per year – while female and male health professionals in Spain scrape by with 24.
The Netherlands, Finland, Slovenia and Denmark made up the rest of the top five.
The UK came in sixth place overall, with average female pay at £30,059, lower than the £43,953 average annual salary for men.
Britain also had lower working hours than many of the top 10 countries, and ranked fourth overall for the number of females studying medicine.
Rounding off the top 10 was Latvia, Estonia, Spain and Sweden, while Malta, Belgium and Italy all ranked in the bottom 10 countries to be a female health professional in Europe
Roshni Patel from Lenstore said: “Our health services across the globe have become immensely important over the last 12 months since the COVID-19 pandemic, as millions have relied on them more than ever before. With the heroic work of nurses and doctors inspiring many to pursue a career in the industry, it’s important to consider the opportunities and gender equality women can expect.
“With the NHS being at the crux of the UK health sector, it’s great to see the country ranking as the sixth-best place in Europe to be a female health professional. The country has a particularly exciting future in the industry for women due to its high figures of females studying medicine at the moment.
