Hierarchy and Power in Australian Health Care System: A Sociological Perspective

This essay examines the dominance of power and hierarchy in Australian health care and its impact on nurses through the functionalist and conflict sociological theory of perspective. It explores the existing hierarchy and power in relation to Australian health care system and discusses the relationship of hierarchy and power in regards to two sociological theories functionalist and conflict perspective with its implication on health care system. The essay concludes with how two theories differ from the biomedical model of health.

Running head: HEALTH SOCIOLOGY 1
Health Sociology
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

HEALTH SOCIOLOGY 2
Introduction
The health care system is considered as the primary concerns of the government of
Australia. This is because health care is very crucial need of an individual. The Australian Health
care system is characterized by different tiers and division based on their professional
responsibility, boundaries and authority for health care provision (Germov, 2014) .This essay
will examine the dominance of power and hierarchy in Australian health care and its impact on
nurses through the functionalist and conflict sociological theory of perspective. Initially, the
essay will explore the existing hierarchy and power in relation to Australian health care system.
Subsequently it will discuss the relationship of hierarchy and power in regards to two
sociological theories functionalist and conflict perspective with its implication on health care
system. Finally, the essay will conclude with how two theories differ from the biomedical model
of health.
The implications of the theory to the health care systems will also be evaluated. There
are those significant lessons which can be implied to the health care systems from the
sociological approach. The study will give a comprehensive report on the various researches
done on the current situation of the health services and operations and try to give opinions on
how to improve them. From the findings on the sociological theories and from other suggestions
the paper provides an outline of how the medical specialists ought to apply the teachings into the
health systems of Australia. Health care is not an equal commodity to all Australian (Russell,
2007).
Hierarchy
There are some less unfortunate individuals who are not able to acquire proper
medication due to cost, and from the past, the government or the arms of power are not willing to

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offer any form of assistance. Are these people not part of the country? How does the
government expect them to survive without proper health care services? However, the number of
men and women participation in total number of healthcare workforce varies sharply in distinct
roles. Accordingly, the higher number of women who participate represents the positive side but
it’s not satisfactory with their profession clarification.
The primary and secondary healthcare are the two healthcare which is in Australia.
The Primary health care involves when an individual first get contact with a health specialist. An
individual does not need a referral for this level of care, which comprises of services which are
provided by general medical specialists, dental practitioners, Indigenous health workers, nurses,
pharmacists (Annandale, 2012). They are delivered in Community Health Services, Health
centers with a community and in organized public health promotion services. Secondary health
care is not an independent body. It is a gateway to broader health systems where individuals are
referred from primary centers to seek specialized medication. Finally, that is the basic hierarchy
of healthcare in Australia.
The arrangement of services differs from State to State, common elements comprise
of strong funding mechanisms, qualified workforce, reliable information from where you base
decisions and policies together with well-maintained facilities and the possibilities to deliver
quality medicines and technologies. These professionals are from both the public and private
sectors who work together to ensure good health to all Australians (Germov, 2014). The private
sector is self-sponsored where they can cater to all their activities while the public sector is
funded by the state.
The World Health organization statistics indicates that Australia has been ranked
among the top countries with adequate health care services. Despite having a sophisticated form

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of systems, they tend to be very beneficial to the individuals. This is due to little deaths
registration among the people of Australia. The systems provide background information on age,
gender, health history, location, economic status and cultural background (Deci, 2011). There is
also a network of governance that provides support to the healthcare while enhancing, regulating
and coordinating policy in the system. This body of governance also provides funds necessary to
purchase the required facilities. This task of management and coordination involves the output of
the stakeholders of the government as well the non-governmental sectors.
Power
The study of power can help understand the institution’s system which applies in
health care systems. However, medical doctors have been dominating health care system for a
long time now. Medicine is considered as the epitome of profession that slowly introduced the
term Professional Dominance in health care service. There are other programs that are set by the
government like the Health Insurance Fund which help an individual to acquire treatment free of
charge in both the public and private health centers. Others include development funds that assist
individuals in remote areas like the Aborigines and the less unfortunate people like refugees to
acquire health care services (Germov, 2014).
Sociological Theories in Health Care Systems
Sociological theories generally explain the interactions of people, relationships and
behavior are integrated to ensure social being of individuals. Health is a state of good condition
physically, emotionally and socially. Therefore, health is a very crucial tool for maintaining good
relation and interaction with others in the society. Under the sociological theories, we have

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arguments like functionalism theory which states that health is essential for a smooth running of
a community (Lupton & Najman, 2015).
For an effective treatment, there should be a good relationship between the physician
and the patient. The sick should also adhere to the instructions of the doctor to get well. When
people are not healthy, they will not be in a position to work and therefore no development in the
nation (Talcott, 2007). Also, early deaths due to various causes like pregnancy, birth and
childcare prevent individuals from fulfilling their social roles. Poor health care is as well
disadvantageous to the people in that it is a risk to their life and the life of the healthy people.
Under conflict theory of sociology, we understand that dispute arises due to
unfairness in health care services. The social inequalities among individuals such as race, class,
ethnicity and gender are portrayed in health conditions and health care services. From the
statistics, it is clearly shown that people receive health care services differently in Australia
(Annandale, 2012). Many people at the remote places find it hard to access proper health care
compared with those in the urban areas. It is very disastrous that many of these people who are
less unfortunate are the most vulnerable to diseases where they are unable to acquire good health
care (Germov, 2014).
The conflict approach also discourages efforts by the health specialists to have in
control the whole medicine practice and to assume that all the social problems affecting people
were due to medicine and not sociological factors. This approach had a positive and an
unfavorable view. The positive aspect is that they assumed themselves as the only educated
people in the society who can help people out of these social problems (Russell, 2007). The
cynical view dictated that they imagined having a pay rise if they managed to dominate all social
issues to be medical problems. For instance use of contraceptives as birth control pills among

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women is medical but giving birth is a social role of women in the society thus bringing conflict
between the social sector and the medical instructions.
Symbolic Interactionist Approach describes that health and diseases are socially
constructed. This means that any mental, emotional or physical disorder has no reality in it
unless stated by members of a specific society (Germov, 2014). No diseases unless a community
has experienced and distinguished it. For instance, there is a movement in the United States
where movement of heavy individuals is campaigning against heavyweights to curb obesity
which has become a risk (Annandale, 2012). These people were just known to be ‘big people',
but the condition is turning to be a disease. Symbolic Interactionist Approach also provides
essential research on the patient-physician- relationship.
The physician always portrays his or her profession by the mood of approach,
dressing, talking among others. The patient still has to wait for the physician, who wears a white
coat, unlike the patient who has no identity. The physician also uses terms and writings only
understood by specialists instead of terms which even the patient can understand (Kelly & Field,
2017).
Impacts on Health Practitioners
As a Health practitioner, there are critical values that one needs to have. One of them
is always to recognize that working on people's health is a calling from God and should be done
in full responsibility. It is also very crucial to be a social being; relating well with classes of
people without discrimination. All people are equal and deserve fair treatment. From the study,
we have noted that power which in the hierarchy is very important in running the health care
system. We as the physicians we need to respect the authority and take part in maintaining the

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policy and decisions made (Russell, 2007). Another critical lesson is on the value of the society
and traditions. We need to embrace the traditions of the culture to develop a good relationship
with them.
The Functionalist Theory suggests that every stakeholder in care should be
responsible when carrying out their activities. The primary role is held by the physician indicates
that they should be on their toes to ensure that patients get appropriate medication all the time.
They have to give appropriate prescriptions, listen to the patients attentively and direct them on
healthy living. From the conflict theory, the physicians are advised to observe their core values
in dealing with the patients. For instance, when there two patients waiting for medication where
one happens to be a relative to the physician there should be no discrimination to treat the
relative before the other patient (Cameron & Trivedi 2009).
There are situations where the physician is allowed to discriminate for instance when
there is an emergency and when the condition being treated only affects a particular group of
people; for example men or women. The issue of FGM, which had brought a lot of conflict in
many African countries, cannot be addressed as a way of discrimination because there are more
risks when it is carried out than on males.
Physicians are professional people in the society. Therefore they should portray their
dignity in their character to be role models to the rest. Their life should implicate what they say;
living a healthy life to avoid illnesses. The patient and the physician should be free to each other
so that the patient can explain his or her illnesses while the physician is also in a position to
prescribe and guide the patient on healthy living.

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Symbolic Interactionist Approach suggests that they should have a professional
relationship with the patients. For instance, when male gynecologists are treating females, they
should do professional examinations without abusing the patients sexually. In some countries, it
is a policy that when a male is examining the genitals of a female a female nurse should be
present. Also, it is the role of a physician to do thorough research on the most occurrence
problems in the area of duty (Russell, 2007). This will help not only the physician but also the
government at large to detect any outbreak in the country. The medical practitioners ought to be
very cautious about health matters to protect the lives of the citizens.
Medical practitioners should be informed and well trained. Physicians ought to have
adequate information on their field of medicine. The licensing of practice should be given to
autonomously qualified individuals who are willing to work in the field of medicine (Bunton,
Burrows & Nettleton, 2015). Supervisors and the management should be strict on observing how
work is done to prevent cases of experimenting with people's lives. Medicine is a crucial field
and requires total concentration.
A physician can also act as a government advisor of healthcare. Medical practitioners
are the most concerned with health care, and so they should be on the front line to address issues
affecting the health systems. Issues to do with development and innovation of health service and
supply of health facilities like drugs should be discussed frequently (Cameron & Trivedi 2009).
There are also issues of poverty where some individuals are not in a position to pay for their
medication. Physicians should be able to locate such cases and address those concerned to assist
the patients.
Physicians should set up programs for public awareness. Some diseases are
mushrooming from the current living styles. Some of these diseases are cancer, diabetes among

HEALTH SOCIOLOGY 9
others. Many people who are diagnosed with these deadly diseases are not even aware of how to
deal with the situation. Medical practitioners should be organizing open days where they educate
people on various conditions, causes and prevention. This is very effective to the community
who learn many things identify on themselves the symptoms of those diseases (Piggott, 2009).
They can also invite Non -Governmental Organizations to give support on health-related issues
like cancer-screening.
In conclusion, health care systems are all the activities that surround effective and
efficient health care services. However, the existing hierarchy of power, the medical
professionals can work in respect and coordination while observing regulations and policy set
aside for good governance in the health sector. The theorists based on gender and class can be
used to explain power and Hierarchy within the Australian Health System. The government
should therefore work tirelessly in ensuring that all persons especially the less fortunate like the
poor and the refugees can access appropriate health care as well as women as illustrated by
functionalist and conflict theory (H Russell, 2007).

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