The 36th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting (CHMM), held on 24-25 May 2024, spotlighted the pressing global challenges faced by the health and social services workforce. Emphasising universal health coverage, the ministers made significant commitments to enhance the wellbeing and working conditions of health and care workers.
The Commonwealth Organisation for Social Work (COSW) actively contributed to the ministerial dialogue, underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to address these challenges. COSW pledged to work closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat, member states, and accredited organisations to support the initiative. A notable proposal includes creating a voluntary Commonwealth Community of Practice for the Health and Care Workforce, aiming to share experiences and develop actionable solutions.
David N. Jones, former IFSW president and COSW Main Representative to the CHMM, remarked, “COSW successfully ensured that social work and social services remained visible in the discussions of health ministers. Too often social work is ignored or taken for granted. Partnerships between health, social work, and other stakeholders provide essential foundations for overcoming the growing ill-health challenges and social problems affecting our world. Social workers have invaluable experience of the reality of communities which must be heard. COSW is working tirelessly to ensure that the experience of social workers informs Commonwealth policy developments.”
Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, highlighted the workforce crisis as a top priority, urging ministers to commit to protecting and investing in health and care workers, including their education and decent work conditions.
This initiative also ties into the ongoing research IFSW, in collaboration with Bath Spa University, the European Social Worker Research Association Workforce Research Special Interest Group, and other institutions. Since 2018, this research has sought to highlight the often-challenging working conditions of social workers worldwide.
For further information, please visit the COSW website at https://cosw.info/cosw-news/