Europe’s health and social care systems are suffering from chronic staff shortages, rising inequalities and the long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. These issues pose urgent questions about the sustainability and resilience of public services across the continent. This edited volume offers the first evidence-based framework for tackling these issues. Drawing on cross-European case studies – from Scotland and Finland to Italy, Germany and Norway – the authors examine the structural, contextual and political factors shaping labour shortages. Using social democratic, neoliberal and corporatist welfare models, they present a compelling rationale for renewed investment and long-term growth in public services.An original contribution to workforce theory, this book provides actionable strategies for tackling staff shortages and building resilient systems – offering both a diagnosis of the workforce crisis and a way forward for its resolution.

This timely book critically examines the European Social Model as a contested concept and concrete set of European welfare and governance arrangements. It offers a theoretical and empirical analysis of new economic models and existing European investment strategies to address key issues within post-Covid-19 Europe.The authors explore the structural inequalities that have been shaped by strong imbalances in the relationship between public health, work, formal and informal care, inequality, poverty and the labour market across Europe. They then assess the potential of new economic models and measures, when combined with existing European governance and collaborative welfare arrangements, to repair the European Social Model. With a particular focus on policy measures that affect young and older people in Europe, chapters also provide a critical insight into the fragmented, multi-actor and multidimensional process of building a European social space that has led to the hybridization of welfare systems.Offering a firm theoretical foundation to the understanding of European welfare arrangements and the social open method of coordination, this book will be a valuable resource for academics and students of European social policy, comparative social policy and European governance. Its analysis of empirical evidence relating to the implementation of policy measures will also be beneficial for policymakers and practitioners working in health, social care and welfare fields.

This timely book critically examines the European Social Model as a contested concept and concrete set of European welfare and governance arrangements. It offers a theoretical and empirical analysis of new economic models and existing European investment strategies to address key issues within post-Covid-19 Europe.

The authors explore the structural inequalities that have been shaped by strong imbalances in the relationship between public health, work, formal and informal care, inequality, poverty and the labour market across Europe. They then assess the potential of new economic models and measures, when combined with existing European governance and collaborative welfare arrangements, to repair the European Social Model. With a particular focus on policy measures that affect young and older people in Europe, chapters also provide a critical insight into the fragmented, multi-actor and multidimensional process of building a European social space that has led to the hybridization of welfare systems.

Offering a firm theoretical foundation to the understanding of European welfare arrangements and the social open method of coordination, this book will be a valuable resource for academics and students of European social policy, comparative social policy and European governance. Its analysis of empirical evidence relating to the implementation of policy measures will also be beneficial for policymakers and practitioners working in health, social care and welfare fields.

Europe’s health and social care systems are suffering from chronic staff shortages, rising inequalities and the long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. These issues pose urgent questions about the sustainability and resilience of public services across the continent. This edited volume offers the first evidence-based framework for tackling these issues. Drawing on cross-European case studies – from Scotland and Finland to Italy, Germany and Norway – the authors examine the structural, contextual and political factors shaping labour shortages. Using social democratic, neoliberal and corporatist welfare models, they present a compelling rationale for renewed investment and long-term growth in public services.An original contribution to workforce theory, this book provides actionable strategies for tackling staff shortages and building resilient systems – offering both a diagnosis of the workforce crisis and a way forward for its resolution.

This timely book critically examines the European Social Model as a contested concept and concrete set of European welfare and governance arrangements. It offers a theoretical and empirical analysis of new economic models and existing European investment strategies to address key issues within post-Covid-19 Europe.The authors explore the structural inequalities that have been shaped by strong imbalances in the relationship between public health, work, formal and informal care, inequality, poverty and the labour market across Europe. They then assess the potential of new economic models and measures, when combined with existing European governance and collaborative welfare arrangements, to repair the European Social Model. With a particular focus on policy measures that affect young and older people in Europe, chapters also provide a critical insight into the fragmented, multi-actor and multidimensional process of building a European social space that has led to the hybridization of welfare systems.Offering a firm theoretical foundation to the understanding of European welfare arrangements and the social open method of coordination, this book will be a valuable resource for academics and students of European social policy, comparative social policy and European governance. Its analysis of empirical evidence relating to the implementation of policy measures will also be beneficial for policymakers and practitioners working in health, social care and welfare fields.

This timely book critically examines the European Social Model as a contested concept and concrete set of European welfare and governance arrangements. It offers a theoretical and empirical analysis of new economic models and existing European investment strategies to address key issues within post-Covid-19 Europe.

The authors explore the structural inequalities that have been shaped by strong imbalances in the relationship between public health, work, formal and informal care, inequality, poverty and the labour market across Europe. They then assess the potential of new economic models and measures, when combined with existing European governance and collaborative welfare arrangements, to repair the European Social Model. With a particular focus on policy measures that affect young and older people in Europe, chapters also provide a critical insight into the fragmented, multi-actor and multidimensional process of building a European social space that has led to the hybridization of welfare systems.

Offering a firm theoretical foundation to the understanding of European welfare arrangements and the social open method of coordination, this book will be a valuable resource for academics and students of European social policy, comparative social policy and European governance. Its analysis of empirical evidence relating to the implementation of policy measures will also be beneficial for policymakers and practitioners working in health, social care and welfare fields.