Health cooperatives offer opportunities for decent work in the healthcare sector, according to the study carried out by the International Labour Organization (OIT), published under the title of ‘Providing Care through Cooperatives’. The conclusions drawn also point out that this type of business model improves salaries and working conditions in the sector, in turn reducing the number of temporary conditions and job rotations in a market often marked by insecurity.
Carlos Zarco, director of the Espriu Foundation, has welcomed the study carried out by the ILO and emphasised that “one of the main objectives of health cooperatives is for professionals to be able to carry out their work in the best conditions possible”. He also stressed that the examples in the report reflect “the importance of the role that cooperatives are taking on in the provision of healthcare ”.
The healthcare model is undergoing a series of transformations due to changes in demographics. In Spain there are currently 8.8 million people over the age of 65 – in other words, 19% of the population. According to estimates, by 2030 this proportion will have grown to 30%, and will in turn increase life expectancy. In the same way, the number of dependents and caregivers will also increase.
In this regard, Zarco ensured that “cooperatives are the solution for making national health systems sustainable. Anyone who believes that the future is yet to come, in certain aspects, is wrong. It’s already here. And so many things are going to change, like nanotechnology, and genome-driven medication. And they are going to make life expectancy longer, but they will also suppose tremendously higher costs”. The director of the Espriu Foundation also wanted to point out that cooperatives favour equality and inclusion.
On the other hand, the same document notes that cooperatives adapt to user demand, which in many cases usually requires different types of care. One of the examples cited in the report is that an elderly person may require help in carrying out their daily activities and at the same time need the services of a health professional because they have an illness. In this sense, the multisectoral model is portrayed as a unique trend that arises from the participation of cooperatives in this sector.
The report published by the ILO features specific examples and illustrates the various ways in which cooperatives respond to various groups around the world.