Dr Mary Tumelty and Dr Annie Sorbie publish policy brief on Regulating for the Healthcare Workforce of the Future

3 Nov 2025

The policy brief published in October 2025 by Dr Mary Tumelty, University of Cork and Dr Annie Sorbie, University of Edinburgh is part of the joint ‘Regulating for the Workforce of the Future: Addressing the Healthcare Workforce Crisis in Scotland and Ireland’.

The project, funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) as part of the Ireland-Scotland Bilateral Network Grants, explores the tripartite relationship between (i) professional regulation; (ii) its role in addressing the workforce crisis; and (iii) the promotion of an economy that values the well-being of patients and professionals.

The policy brief outlines some of the key themes that emerged from two roundtable events and shares an interdisciplinary research agenda that identifies ways in which professional regulation can either help or hinder the crisis.

The four key themes arising from the workshops were:

• the multifaceted nature of the crisis
• recognising and regulating new professions
• remote and rural working
• the changing role of professional regulation

Dr Tumelty said: 

“Engaging with key regulatory stakeholders in Ireland and Scotland enabled us to shape an interdisciplinary research agenda considering the role of professional regulation in addressing the healthcare workforce crisis. We were delighted to have this engagement, and we look forward to building on this work in partnership with stakeholders across the regulatory sector.”