Five The support workforce within the allied health division of labour
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Susan Nancarrow
Abstract
This chapter examines the support workforce associated with the allied health professions. We have used the term ‘support workers’ to describe this group because they do not occupy a fully professional space, and they have emerged from the division of allied health labour (Saks and Allsop, 2007; Saks, 2020). We acknowledge that numerous other titles are used to describe workers in this domain of work (Buchan and Dal Poz, 2002; Saks and Allsop, 2007; Bach et al, 2008; Lizarondo et al, 2010). Support workers tend to be vocationally trained and, in many cases, their roles are designed and adapted to meet local requirements.
We distinguish the support workforce from the emerging and existing allied health professions on the basis that support worker roles are derived from the division of labour of existing allied health roles, whereas emerging professions (described in Chapter 4) have generally developed a niche professional repertoire and practise autonomously. Support workers are differentiated from ‘professions’ because they do not have ownership over a unique body of knowledge or theoretical framework that defines their role. Contemporary taxonomies of allied health professions tend to reinforce the notion of the professional project (Larson, 1977) by specifying minimum standards, such as required levels of training, continuing professional development, codes of conduct and quality monitoring standards (Health Care Professions Council, no date; Allied Health Aotearoa New Zealand, no date; Allied Health Professions Australia, no date). As we discuss in this chapter, there are few opportunities for support workers to become allied health professionals unless they meet these requirements.
Abstract
This chapter examines the support workforce associated with the allied health professions. We have used the term ‘support workers’ to describe this group because they do not occupy a fully professional space, and they have emerged from the division of allied health labour (Saks and Allsop, 2007; Saks, 2020). We acknowledge that numerous other titles are used to describe workers in this domain of work (Buchan and Dal Poz, 2002; Saks and Allsop, 2007; Bach et al, 2008; Lizarondo et al, 2010). Support workers tend to be vocationally trained and, in many cases, their roles are designed and adapted to meet local requirements.
We distinguish the support workforce from the emerging and existing allied health professions on the basis that support worker roles are derived from the division of labour of existing allied health roles, whereas emerging professions (described in Chapter 4) have generally developed a niche professional repertoire and practise autonomously. Support workers are differentiated from ‘professions’ because they do not have ownership over a unique body of knowledge or theoretical framework that defines their role. Contemporary taxonomies of allied health professions tend to reinforce the notion of the professional project (Larson, 1977) by specifying minimum standards, such as required levels of training, continuing professional development, codes of conduct and quality monitoring standards (Health Care Professions Council, no date; Allied Health Aotearoa New Zealand, no date; Allied Health Professions Australia, no date). As we discuss in this chapter, there are few opportunities for support workers to become allied health professionals unless they meet these requirements.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of abbreviations vii
- Acknowledgements viii
- Editors’ overview ix
- Introduction 1
- The allied health collective 27
- Diversity in the allied health professions 57
- The established allied health professions 83
- Emerging allied health professions 107
- The support workforce within the allied health division of labour 131
- Specialisation in allied health 151
- Post-professionalism and allied health 173
- Conclusion 191
- References 203
- Index 231
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of abbreviations vii
- Acknowledgements viii
- Editors’ overview ix
- Introduction 1
- The allied health collective 27
- Diversity in the allied health professions 57
- The established allied health professions 83
- Emerging allied health professions 107
- The support workforce within the allied health division of labour 131
- Specialisation in allied health 151
- Post-professionalism and allied health 173
- Conclusion 191
- References 203
- Index 231
