The Internationalization of Long Term Care Provision

Abstract

This article analyses the extent and form of internationalization of the three largest for-profit providers of long term nursing and residential care for older people in the UK. This is a departure from most contributions to the analysis of the relationship between globalization and welfare, which have been focused at the level of the nation state. In focusing upon internationalized providers of welfare services, the article borrows from other disciplines such as international business studies. All three firms are found to be internationalized to some extent, although the form of that internationalization varies. This internationalization reflects the growing internationalization of services within the world economy more generally. The strategies of all three firms can be characterized as `market seeking' rather than `client following'. The parallel processes of internationalization and concentration are likely to increase in the UK long term care sector, as such firms take advantage of economies of scale at the expense of smaller providers.

Making Connections Across the Transnational Political Economy of Care

“…Commodifying trends have accelerated the intervention of the private market in health and social care and made care big international business. For example in long term care, British United Provident Association has operations in Spain, Ireland, Thailand, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia (Holden, 2002). A fourth dynamic is national and international political contestations over defining how care and health needs should be met.…”

Gendered Migrations and Global Social Reproduction

“…The third sector or community also increasingly provides a social reproductive function, although how it supports the reproductive sectors, such as personal services and health, is less well specified. Finally, the marketisation of social reproduction has increased and become big business (Holden 2002;Lethbridge 2011;Williams 2011). …”

Assessing International Trade in Healthcare Services

“…The vast majority of the literature has focused on specific case studies, rather than accounting for the actual magnitude of internationalisation taking place through this mode of supply. In these studies, the United States has been regarded as an important source country for health care service firms establishing abroad, in particular in Latin America and the United Kingdom (Holden 2002;Jasso-Aguilar, Waitzkin et al 2004). One particular study of the United Kingdom found that 22% of all independent hospital beds were owned by the United States (Mohan 1991: 857 cited in Holden 2002).…”

“…In these studies, the United States has been regarded as an important source country for health care service firms establishing abroad, in particular in Latin America and the United Kingdom (Holden 2002;Jasso-Aguilar, Waitzkin et al 2004). One particular study of the United Kingdom found that 22% of all independent hospital beds were owned by the United States (Mohan 1991: 857 cited in Holden 2002). According to a study using the Fortune Global 500 list for 2002 as a single year, direct health services providers were the least internationalised, while producers of goods were the most internationalised (Holden 2005 activities of foreign companies established in the host country, including export, import, sales, turnover and employment.…”