The Ethics of Austerity in Healthcare

Since 2010, many European countries, including Greece and the UK, introduced austerity measures on public spending to address the budget deficit caused by the stock market crash two years prior. Healthcare is one of the areas affected, directly and/or indirectly by budget cuts and reduced funding. Many economic and epidemiological studies at a national and European level have explored the impact of austerity policies on health and healthcare, but little attention has been given to the effects of austerity on the everyday experiences of doctors and nurses, and also on the healthcare professions as a whole.

The overall aim of this project is to develop an understanding of how austerity-driven policies and subsequent system reforms impact and influence ideas and practices of ethical professional conduct. Using qualitative methods and philosophical reasoning, this project is exploring the effects of austerity policies on the frontline of healthcare provision in Greece and in England, and investigating how austerity policies are shaping the provision of healthcare, as well as the professional character of the medical and nursing professions.

This project is funded by the Wellcome Trust (grant code: 201552/Z/16/Z)