Support Workers and the Health Professions in International Perspective : The Invisible Providers of Health Care

Health care support workers (HSWs) play a fundamental role in international health care systems, and yet they remain largely invisible. Despite this, the number of HSWs is growing fast as governments strive to combat illness and address social care issues in a world of finite resources. This original collection analyses the global experience of HSWs in the UK, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Portugal, Sweden and The Netherlands. Leading academics examine issues including the interface of HSWs with the health professions, regulatory practice risks, employment challenges and the dilemmas of an ageing population. Crucial future policy recommendations are also made for a world becoming increasingly dependent on HSWs. Front Cover Series information Support Workers and the Health Professions in International Perspective: The Invisible Providers of Health Care Copyright information Table of contents Notes on contributors Editors’ overview One Introduction: Support workers and the health professions Introduction Contributions to the book Key overarching messages Conclusion References Two Health professionals, support workers and the precariat Introduction Health professionalisation, deprofessionalisation and proletarianisation Health support workers and the concept of the precariat Health support workers and the precariat in the UK Personal support workers and the precariat in Canada Conclusion: health support workers, precarity and future policy References Three Unpaid informal carers: The ‘shadow’ workforce in health care Introduction A portrait of unpaid, informal carers The challenging realities of caring Rising and more complex needs Carer costs and consequences Unpaid caring in decline The policy response: caring for caregivers Carer recognition Carer support and advocacy networks Financial support Work leave Respite Human rights protection Building and adapting social structures Conclusion References Four The management and leadership of support workers Introduction The New Public Management and professionalism in health and social care The rise of support workers in nursing Nursing professionalisation and support workers From the New Public Management to the New Public Governance Support workers, professionalism and responsibilisation Conclusion References Five Regulation, risk and health support work Introduction: health professionalisation, risk and the public interest The rise of risk-based regulation: adverse events and the policy response Recent developments: an expansion of the regulatory gaze Health support workers: an understudied but risk-laden resource The review by Saks and colleagues: risks, regulation and support workers The Cavendish review of risk, regulation and support workers Attempts to enhance the regulation of health support workers Conclusion: moving forward References Six The interface of health support workers with the allied health professions Introduction What is allied health? The development of the support workforce for the allied health professions The profession-driven model of allied health support worker development The managerial model of allied health support worker development Challenges faced by the allied health support workforce Quality and inconsistency of training Lack of career progression opportunities Inefficient delegation Lack of regulation, professional closure and identity Generic vs discipline specific division of labour Supervision of the support workforce Conclusion References Seven Support workers in social care: Between social work professionals and service users Introduction Swedish welfare policies Professional vs user-controlled services Two empirical cases: social support workers in residential care and personal assistants in domiciliary care Case 1: Social support workers in residential care Case 2: Personal assistants in domiciliary care Discussion: whither professionalisation? Conclusion References Eight Health professionals and peer support workers in mental health settings Introduction Peer support workers in mental health care The rise and development of peer support workers in The Netherlands Training and education Further development: the path to professionalisation? Peer support workers and mental health professionals: control Lack of role clarity Dominant professional cultures Ambiguous identities Support workers’ experiences and health professionals’ expertise: content Experiential versus expert knowledge Professional or organising responsibilities Anxiety due to accountability Conclusion References Nine Complementary and alternative medicine as an invisible health support workforce Introduction Health support work and complementary and alternative medicine Complementary and alternative medicine support workers and social closure Complementary and alternative medicine in Brazil Complementary and alternative medicine in Portugal Conclusion References Ten Personal support workers and the labour market Introduction The importance of the labour market for personal support workers Defining personal support workers Supply and demand for personal support workers: past, current and forecast Contextual factors of potential influence on the supply of personal support workers Domestic regulations The expansion of home and community and institutional long-term care sectors Wages and hours worked Wages Number of hours worked Individual characteristics and the relationship to labour market outcomes Socio-demographics Family and household characteristics Health status Education and training levels Job characteristics and the relationship to labour market outcomes Full-time, part-time, casual hours of work and job schedules Union status Benefits and pensions Conclusion References Eleven The role of health support workers in the ageing crisis Introduction: Care work in an ageing society The response to ageing in Japan Medical and nursing care systems supporting the elderly The professional involvement of doctors and nurses in the Long-term Care Insurance Scheme The Certified Care Worker and Home Visiting Care Worker Certified Care Workers Home Visiting Care Workers The differences between Certified Care Workers and Home Visit Care Workers The less qualified health support worker: the Tsukisoifu Brief history The narratives of a Tsukisoifu How the work of the lower level support workers operates Boundary issues in care Between medical care and other forms of care Between care and life support Care work between employer and family Conclusion: who will play the role of carer? References Index Back Cover Health care support workers (HSWs) play a fundamental role in international health care systems, and yet they remain largely invisible. Despite this, the number of HSWs is growing fast as governments strive to combat illness and address social care issues in a world of finite resources. This original collection analyses the global experience of HSWs in the UK, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Portugal, Sweden and The Netherlands. Leading academics examine issues including the interface of HSWs with the health professions, regulatory practice risks, employment challenges and the dilemmas of an ageing population. Crucial future policy recommendations are also made for a world becoming increasingly dependent on HSWs. -- Provided by publisher This original collection analyses the global experience of health care support workers (HSWs) and examines their interface with the health professions, regulatory practice risks, employment challenges and the dilemmas of an ageing population. Crucial future policy recommendations are also made for a world becoming increasingly dependent on HSWs