Moral Distress and Privatisation: Lost in Neoliberal Transition

ABSTRACT

This article discusses social workers’ moral distress associated with privatisation processes in neoliberal transitions. Based on a qualitative study of social workers (N = 15) working in privatised long-term nursing care agencies in Israel, findings revealed multiple expressions of moral distress. The study shows that moral distress relates to four main sources: illegal actions, violation of caregivers’ employment rights and benefits, clashes between professional principles and profit considerations, and harm to elders’ wellbeing. In addition, the study identified three patterns of coping with moral distress: compliance, denial, and resistance. Most participants follow a pattern of compliance and denial and only a minority offer some signs of resistance, mostly through covert actions. Implications for social work education and policy are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Privatisation
• new public administration
• moral distress
• professional ethics
• neo-liberalism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Ms Afnan Attrash-Najjar (MSW) is a social worker in the Public Welfare Services of West Galilee, Israel at the area of children at risk.

Prof. Roni Strier (PhD) is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Haifa, Israel. His research areas are social services, social exclusion, poverty, social work macro-practice, and fatherhood studies..