Healthcare assistants: distributional losses as a consequence of NHS modernisation?

Clark, I. ORCID: 0000-0001-7698-2715 and Thompson, A. ORCID: 0000-0003-0930-0088, 2015. Healthcare assistants: distributional losses as a consequence of NHS modernisation? New Technology Work and Employment, 30 (3), pp. 209-221. ISSN 0268-1072

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Abstract

This paper examines the labour process of Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) at a National Health Service (NHS) hospital trust (TUH) in the context of the NHS modernisation agenda. It determines whether application of the modernisation agenda is formalised at TUH and considers how HCAs are affected. The paper is based upon 60 interviews with HCAs, structured questionnaires completed by all interview respondents, observation of HCAs and interviews with non-clinical managers. The findings show that elements of the modernisation agenda are informally implemented at TUH to the detriment of HCAs. HCAs experience distributional losses in the form of intensification as nurses deflect duties to HCAs and insulate themselves from adverse effects. HCAs resist, using selective absence when pressures mount. They ameliorate losses by re-internalising their work as a job with caring elements not a genuine caring role. They rationalise their altered behaviour towards patients by blaming the regime's treatment of them as a subordinated group.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	New Technology Work and Employment
Creators:	Clark, I. and Thompson, A.
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell
Date:	November 2015
Volume:	30
Number:	3
ISSN:	0268-1072
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1111/ntwe.12053 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	23 Mar 2016 12:25
Last Modified:	23 Oct 2017 14:40
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/27219

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