Overworked and undervalued: The crisis facing care workers in Israel

In Israel’s public sector, care workers including —nurses, social workers, and psychologists are stretched to their limits, operating at 120% capacity even in normal times. When crises strike, they collapse. The healthcare system in Israel and social work system are at a breaking point, with severe underfunding and chronic staff shortages affecting both professionals and the vulnerable populations they serve.

A Healthcare System on the Brink

For years, the Israeli healthcare system has been struggling due to government underfunding, leaving nurses, social workers, and psychologists with overwhelming caseloads. The situation worsened dramatically following the October 7, 2023 war, which put immense pressure on hospitals, mental health services, and social care providers.

The impact has been devastating. Social workers in Israel are forced to manage cases involving displaced families, trauma victims, and domestic abuse survivors—all with limited resources. Nurses in Israel report extreme burnout, with hospitals operating beyond their designed capacities. Public psychologists are unable to meet the skyrocketing demand for mental health services in Israel, leading to dangerous delays in treatment.

Shaul Skiff, chairman of the Israeli Nurses’ Union of the Histadrut, expressed the frustration felt by many during a panel discussion at the Eilat Conference on Labor:

“We have been warning about this for years. The state is simply unwilling to think ahead, expand departments, and allocate necessary positions. When we are operating beyond full capacity in normal times, a crisis like this simply breaks us.”

A Workforce in Decline: Staff Shortages and Burnout

The crisis has exacerbated an already dire situation. Of the 40,000 licensed social workers in Israel, only 17,000 remain in the public sector. The rest have left for private practice or abandoned the profession entirely due to low wages and unbearable working conditions.

The shortage of nurses in Israel is another major concern. Despite recent wage agreements, a severe lack of available positions persists. Many nurses describe exhaustion and emotional fatigue as they struggle to meet patient needs. “We don’t have enough trained nurses in Israel, and those we do have are expected to take on unrealistic workloads,” said Skiff. “The government treats our goodwill as an infinite resource, but we are breaking under the pressure.”

Psychologists in Israel also face harsh conditions. Alexandra Krushinsky, chairwoman of the Union of Academics in the Social Sciences and Humanities, highlighted the major issue of low salaries for public psychologists, which pushes many to leave for private clinics. “The wait time for a psychological consultation in the public system can reach eight months,” she said. “Our latest salary agreement will raise wages by 40%, and we hope this will prevent further resignations. But salaries alone are not enough—we need more positions and support services.”

The Impact on Vulnerable Populations

The consequences of Israel’s failing public care sector are particularly harsh for vulnerable populations. Elderly patients requiring long-term care are often stuck in overcrowded internal medicine departments due to a lack of rehabilitation facilities. Mental health patients—already marginalized—struggle to receive even the most basic counseling services.

“The weakest members of society suffer the most,” Skiff emphasized. “When you underfund hospitals, the elderly and chronically ill patients are the first to pay the price. When you underfund mental health services, trauma victims are the ones left behind.”

The extensive Hamas assaults further exposed these weaknesses. Thousands of civilians experienced extreme violence, leaving them with profound psychological trauma. Yet, public mental health services in Israel are severely under-resourced, leaving many without the care they desperately need.

“In the first days of the war, we mobilized volunteers to help wherever we could,” said Inbal Hermoni, chairwoman of the Social Workers’ Union of the Histadrut. “But by the third week, we realized that volunteering alone wasn’t sustainable. We needed real, long-term solutions.”

The Israeli government’s response has been insufficient. Rather than strengthening the public sector, they have relied on short-term volunteer efforts instead of systemic reforms.

The Histadrut’s Fight for Change

The Histadrut, has been leading the fight for better conditions for healthcare workers, social workers, and psychologists. A major protest in Tel Aviv in December 2023 saw thousands of care workers demanding urgent government action.

“This is not just about salaries,” said Hermoni. “It’s about dignity. It’s about ensuring that no care worker in Israel has to choose between their own survival and the survival of their patients.”

The Road Ahead for Israel’s Care Workers

Despite these challenges, there is some hope. The new salary agreement for psychologists marks progress, but many argue that it is not enough. Similar improvements are desperately needed for nurses and social workers to prevent further workforce declines.

As Israel continues to face security and economic challenges, its public healthcare and social work sectors remain on the front lines—often without the support they need.

The question remains: How long can Israel’s care workers endure these conditions?

Infromation for this article was taken from Davar