A total of 4,434 severe occupational staffing shortages were identified across the VHA, compared with the 2,959 of 2024. Image: Pam Anders/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe number of “severe staffing shortage” occupations across VA’s medical facilities has increased by about half in the current fiscal year over fiscal 2024, an inspector general report has said, with more than nine-tenths of facilities now reporting such shortages in medical officer occupations and about eight-tenths reporting them in nursing occupations.
While the IG has performed similar annual accountings for more than a decade on a routine basis, the report is attracting additional attention this year. The VA recently announced that it will have cut nearly 29,000 positions, about 6 percent, by September 30 mainly due to a partial hiring freeze and separation incentives including deferred resignation offers.
The report said that due to the timing of the IG’s survey of facilities, “the reported impact on staffing from OPM’s Deferred Resignation Program and VA’s workforce reshaping efforts are not fully reflected in this report.”
“Instead of making VA an employer of choice, Secretary [Doug] Collins continues to vilify the VA workforce and strip them of their rights. Now, VA is facing critical staffing shortages across the country, leading to decreased access and choice for veterans. Veterans deserve and have earned better,” said Rep. Mark Takano of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
In the survey, all 139 Veterans Health Administration facilities identified staffing shortages in at least some occupations, while the number of occupations where the shortage they termed severe ranged by facility from two to 153. A total of 4,434 severe occupational staffing shortages were identified across the VHA, compared with the 2,959 of 2024.
The 94 percent of facilities reporting a severe shortage of medical officers—such as primary care, psychology and psychiatry—was up from the 86 percent in 2024, while the 79 percent of those reporting a severe shortage in nursing occupations—such as practical nurse and nursing assistant—was down from 82 percent.
“Despite the ability to make noncompetitive appointments for such occupations, VHA continues to experience severe occupational staffing shortages for these occupations that are fundamental to the delivery of health care,” the report said.
Excluding those occupations, 41 occupations were identified as having severe shortages by at least 20 percent of facilities, compared with 28 last year and the highest in at least seven years. The non-clinical occupation most frequently cited as having a shortage was police—named by 58 percent of facilities—followed by custodial worker, medical support assistance, food service worker and supply clerical and technical.
The IG said it “made no recommendations, but encourages VA leaders to use these review results to inform staffing initiatives and organizational changes.”
In recently announcing that it was stepping back from earlier preparations for conducting major RIFs, the VA said that of its 480,000 employees as of the start of the year, more than 350,000 directly involved with veterans’ care or benefits were exempt from the hiring freeze and were ineligible for early retirement and deferred resignation offers.
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See also,
What to Know About the New Federal Application Process
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