Understanding health policy / Rob Baggott.

Previous edition: 2007.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface -- Analysing health policy; -- Party politics and health policy -- Central government and health policy -- Parliament and health policy -- The media and health policy -- Pressure groups and health policy -- Health policy and the NHS -- Partnerships and health policy -- Health policy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland -- The international context of UK health policy -- Conclusion -- References -- Index.

"In recent years the pace of reform in health policy and the NHS has been relentless. But how are policies formed and implemented? This fully updated edition of a bestselling book explores the processes and institutions that make health policy, examining what constitutes health policy, where power lies, and what changes could be made to improve the quality of health policy making. Drawing on original research by the author over many years, and a wide range of secondary sources, the book examines the role of various institutions in the formation and implementation of health policy. Unlike most standard texts, it considers the impact of devolution in the UK and the role of European and international institutions and fills a need for an up-to-date overview of this fast-moving area. It features new case studies to illustrate how policy has evolved and developed in recent years. This new edition has been fully updated to reflect policies under the later years of New Labour and the Coalition government."--Publisher's website.