ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on organizational change and professionals, since professionals constitute a major and crucial part of the health care workforce. The mode of enquiry is to use the lens of organizational change processes to scrutinize the system of the professions at the macro level and individual professionals at the micro level. The chapter explores the concept of marginality and liminality as a potential source of change, innovation and creativity at the macro and micro levels and question what part professionals play in influencing organizational change. It also explores the micro level and the role of professionals as agents of change. The chapter argues that the macro-level changes to the overall system of employees in health care with the significant growth in the employment of health care assistants (HCA) means that these changes are now probably irreversible.