| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Middlesex University, UK |
| Publisher | Middlesex University Press |
| Number of pages | 350 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-1904750307 |
| Publication status | Published - 2008 |
Bibliographical note
Middlesex University Press has been closed down. Author's note: This book remains the most up-to-date history of the National Health Service in Britain, and the most detailed and integrated analysis of a number of key political and economic questions related to the NHS – notably the role of the private sector in providing publicly funded services, the applicability of market forces and competition to healthcare, the founding values and strengths and weaknesses of the National Health Service as a model, and its place in the international context.It was favourably reviewed (as Review of the Week) in the British Medical Journal, and won the Medical Journalists’ Association Tony Thistlethwaite award in 2009 for best book on a technical subject for a general audience.
Another strength and original feature of the book is the integration of the issues of mental health and elderly care is a continuing point of reference in the analysis of policy over 60 years. The book also analyses the change of direction taken by the Labour government from 2000 – but also set this in the historical context of Margaret Thatcher's reforms from 1988 onwards.
The book offers a unique standpoint, being written by a long-time campaigner who also has extensive research experience, using published sources and academic methods to produce a readable but detailed study.