Global health and care worker migration requires a global response

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q1 HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES

Health Policy Pub Date : 2025-03-28 DOI:10.1016/j.healthpol.2025.105305

Ellen Kuhlmann , Michelle Falkenbach , Tiago Correia , Niamh Humphries , Eleanor Hutchinson , Gareth H Rees , Marius-Ionut Ungureanu , Tomas Zapata , Julia Lohmann

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The global migration of the health and care workforce (HCWF) has intensified, leading to complex policy scenarios and diverse migration patterns. While the traditional narrative of individual health and care workers (HCWs) migrating from low- and middle-income countries to high-income countries in search of higher income, career prospects and working conditions remains relevant, it now coexists with many other drivers, incentives, and dynamics at individual and policy level. The evolving dynamics of HCW migration have profound implications extending far beyond health labour markets, influencing broader societal and political landscapes. Despite their significance, the qualitative shifts in HCWF migration patterns and the governance challenges they present are poorly understood and under-researched, and policies have thus been limited in their effectiveness. In this policy comment we argue for a global response and an enhanced focus on policy implementation, using selected case studies to illustrate the argument. The cases highlight complexities of HCW migration patterns and opportunities for strengthening implementation of the WHO Global Code of Practice to respond effectively to the diverse needs of health systems and individual HCWs.

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来源期刊

Health Policy 医学-卫生保健

CiteScore

6.40

自引率

6.10%

发文量

157

审稿时长

3-8 weeks

期刊介绍： Health Policy is intended to be a vehicle for the exploration and discussion of health policy and health system issues and is aimed in particular at enhancing communication between health policy and system researchers, legislators, decision-makers and professionals concerned with developing, implementing, and analysing health policy, health systems and health care reforms, primarily in high-income countries outside the U.S.A.