ABSTRACT
Demanding to manage is what health care organisations are trying to do in the provision of care, and managing to demand is what consumers or patients try to achieve when they access the formal health care system. Differences in the interpretations in the United States of America and the United Kingdom for managing demand will not only determine the success of such strategies in the respective cultures, but also highlight the very different contexts for both organisations and individuals. Emotional labour is broadly interpreted as managing emotions for a wage, and will involve both the conscious and subconscious management of emotions in the self and others to achieve organisational and professional goals. Making progress in managing demand requires a shift in perspective from individuals, organisations and publics. However it may prove easier to shift attitudes in the whole population than in subgroups such as doctors.
