Assistant Roles in a Modernised Public Service: Towards a New Professionalism?

Stephen Bach

Chapter 7 in Working for the State, 2011, pp 129-146 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract In the past, when politicians have celebrated the achievements of the public sector workforce they have inevitably pinpointed the contribution of public service professionals such as nurses, teachers and police officers. Recently, however, a striking feature of public service modernisation has been the increased recognition of the contribution of assistant roles, such as teaching and health care assistants that has started to pepper policy documents (Blair, 2002; Cabinet Office, 2008). This higher public profile reflects the extent to which the growth of assistant roles has been integral to work restructuring and public service modernisation. Assistants work alongside public service professionals, often in welfare roles that support vulnerable members of the community. These positions are usually filled by women and traditionally have been low-paid with limited career prospects (Clayton, 1993; Thornley, 1996).

Keywords: Police Officer; Support Staff; Registered Nurse; Teaching Assistant; Liberal Democratic Party (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-34798-4_7

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DOI: 10.1057/9780230347984_7

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