This title brings sociological and theoretical underpinnings of the healthcare sector together and aligns them with the role and function of healthcare workers, making this an expert text perfect for all those involved in the public and social health industries.
Healthcare support workers (HSWs) play a fundamental role in international healthcare systems, and yet they remain largely invisible. Despite this, the number of HSWs is growing fast as modern governments strive to combat illness in a world of finite resources. This original collection analyses the global experience of HSWs in the UK, Japan, Australia, Brazil and Canada. 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.
Introduction: Support Workers and the Health Professions ~ Mike Saks Health Professionals, Support Workers and the Precariat ~ Mike Saks and Katherine Zagrodney Unpaid Informal Carers: The ‘Shadow’ Workforce in Health Care ~ A. Paul Williams and Janet M. Lum The Management and Leadership of Support Workers ~ Mike Dent Regulation, Risk and Health Support Work ~ Mike Saks and Judith Allsop The Interface of Health Support Workers with the Allied Health Professions ~ Susan Nancarrow Support Workers in Social Care: Between Social Work Professionals and Service Users ~ Andreas Liljegren, Anna Dunér and Elisabeth Olin Health Professionals and Peer Support Workers in Mental Health Settings ~ Aukje Leemeijer and Mirko Noordegraaf Complementary and Alternative Medicine as an Invisible Health Support Workforce ~ Joana Almeida and Nelson Barros Personal Support Workers and the Labour Market ~ Audrey Laporte, Adrian Rohit Dass, Whitney Berta, Raisa Deber and Katherine Zagrodney The Role of Health Support Workers in the Ageing Crisis ~ Miwako Hosoda
Mike Saks is Emeritus Professor at the University of Suffolk and Visiting Professor at the University of Lincoln, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, University of Westminster and the University of Toronto, Canada.