Work sharing in healthcare successful
A new report by the MSAH into work sharing within the health sector has found that it can achieve positive results in rationalising working procedures. The current national project aimed at safeguarding the future of the health service has been running some 30 work sharing experiments.
These have mainly focused on transferring tasks customarily done by doctors to nurses and other health professionals, but also included sharing of duties among other professional groups within the health sector. The duties of hospital and public health nurses were broadened to include assessing treatment needs, care and care guidance in cases of sudden illness, phone counselling and monitoring long-term illnesses.
Patient and health professionals generally reported good experiences from the work sharing trials, and there were no reported incidents of harm done to patients. About half of professionals who have taken part in the experiments intend to develop the practice further or start on a new work sharing scheme.
Further information: Ms Marjukka Vallimies-Patomäki, Senior Officer, tel. +358 9 160 74170