The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) intends to eliminate 30,000 staff. This massive decrease would be extremely detrimental to veterans’ access to critical healthcare services. According to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, the cut would be completed by September at the latest. He intends to do this by a mix of attrition, a hiring freeze and a deferred resignation program.
This announcement comes amid an acute staffing crisis that has hampered the VA in recent years. The agency lost thousands of healthcare professionals classified as essential during the former President Donald Trump’s administration. Without these critical staff members, the VA has indicated that “mission-critical work cannot be completed.”
The VA’s inspector general just released its annual report. It shows the extent of the staffing shortages at the five medical centers. Under laws enacted in 2017, one of which was signed by Trump, this report aims to assess and publicly disclose staffing levels within the VA. The findings from a survey conducted in April reveal alarming statistics: 94% of VA facilities reported facing “severe” shortages of doctors, while 79% experienced similar shortages among nurses.
Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) had strong words, saying he was stunned by the report’s findings. He stated that it “confirms our fears” about the ongoing staffing shortages, which he claims are leading to “decreased access and choice for veterans.” These supply shortages are having a grave impact on our hospital infrastructure. We’re not only witnessing unit closures and reduced operational hours, but a growing backlog of examinations.
Peter Kasperowicz, the VA’s inspector general, discussed the staffing crisis. He said those current metrics are not an accurate picture of the staffing emergency that has ballooned.
“Not a reliable indicator of staffing shortages.” – Peter Kasperowicz
Secretary Collins emphasized that the VA’s efforts are “centered on reducing bureaucracy and improving services to veterans” as part of the ongoing restructuring process. Critics counter that these dramatic cuts in personnel would be unfortunate for the agency’s mission and its employees.