Ensuring decent work in the health sector
Health workers face important decent work deficits. During a Workshop organized by the European Commission, the ILO explained how this affects the quality of care, and how decision makers can ensure decent work in the health sector.
1 April 2019
The ILO participated to a Workshop organized by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, entitled “Working for a healthier future, promoting sustainable employment in the health sector in developing countries”.
Christiane Wiskow, Health Services Specialist, gave an overview of employment in the health sector, and underlined some of the main challenges. In 2018, the health and social sector provided 130 million jobs worldwide, or 3.9% of total employment. ILO estimates suggest that the health sector has the potential to create 129 million jobs by 2030, as each paid health occupation job, such as nurse, physician, etc., generates jobs for workers in non-health support occupations, such as cleaners, secretaries, etc.
Health workers face long working hours, ergonomic risks, exposure to blood and airborne infections and a high risk of exposure to violence and harassment.
“The working conditions directly influence the quality of the care that is given,” underlined Ms Wiskow. Research across nine European countries shows that an increase in a hospital nurse’s workload by one patient increases the risk of in-patient mortality by 7 per cent; while, inversely, each 10 per cent increase in the proportion of nurses with a bachelor’s degree is associated with a 7 per cent decrease of patient mortality.
“Decent work has a dual role,” explained Ms Wiskow. It ensures the recruitment and retention of workers, for a sustainable health workforce, and it enables health workers to provide quality care.
Decent work in the health sector can be ensured by providing good training and career prospects, a fair remuneration, adequate social protection and occupational safety and health, and participation in the planning and decision making through social dialogue.
Christiane Wiskow, Health Services Specialist, gave an overview of employment in the health sector, and underlined some of the main challenges. In 2018, the health and social sector provided 130 million jobs worldwide, or 3.9% of total employment. ILO estimates suggest that the health sector has the potential to create 129 million jobs by 2030, as each paid health occupation job, such as nurse, physician, etc., generates jobs for workers in non-health support occupations, such as cleaners, secretaries, etc.
Health workers face long working hours, ergonomic risks, exposure to blood and airborne infections and a high risk of exposure to violence and harassment.
“The working conditions directly influence the quality of the care that is given,” underlined Ms Wiskow. Research across nine European countries shows that an increase in a hospital nurse’s workload by one patient increases the risk of in-patient mortality by 7 per cent; while, inversely, each 10 per cent increase in the proportion of nurses with a bachelor’s degree is associated with a 7 per cent decrease of patient mortality.
“Decent work has a dual role,” explained Ms Wiskow. It ensures the recruitment and retention of workers, for a sustainable health workforce, and it enables health workers to provide quality care.
Decent work in the health sector can be ensured by providing good training and career prospects, a fair remuneration, adequate social protection and occupational safety and health, and participation in the planning and decision making through social dialogue.