Journal of health services research & policy
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J Health Serv Res Policy · Oct 2012
Reconfiguring the emergency and urgent care workforce: mixed methods study of skills and the everyday work of non-clinical call-handlers in the NHS.
To examine the skills and expertise required and used by non-clinical call-handlers doing telephone triage and assessment, supported by a computer decision support system (CDSS) in urgent and emergency care services. ⋯ Clinical assessment and triage by non-clinical staff supported by a CDSS represents a major change in urgent and emergency care delivery, warranting a detailed examination of call-handlers' skills and expertise. We found that this work appears to have more in common with clinical work and expertise than with other call-centre work that it superficially resembles. Recognizing the range of skills call-handlers demonstrate and developing a better understanding of this should be incorporated into the training for, and management of, emergency and urgent care call-handling.
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J Health Serv Res Policy · Oct 2012
Worrying about the wrong thing: patient mobility versus mobility of health care professionals.
Patients and health care professionals in the European Union (EU) benefit from legislation on the freedom of movement between Member States. In relative terms, many more doctors and nurses move within the EU than patients. ⋯ On the one hand, the scope of patient mobility is narrow and self-limited. On the other hand, current and forecasted health care workforce shortages across the EU, global competition for health care professionals, and current economic pressures are all good reasons to start worrying about the mobility of health care professionals and its implications for health systems.