The politics of the National Health Service - Rudolf Klein

Rudolf Klein sees the NHS as a microcosm of our society; its problems mirror and sometimes exaggerate the changes and stresses of the wider social environment. In this new edition the author describes both the political dynamics of the formation of the NHS and its development from 1948 to the Conservative reorganization and policy formation in late 1988.;In 1988, as in 1948, the NHS can be seen to be grappling with a number of policy dilemmas which have hardly changed during its entire history. These issues are discussed through case studies of what has actually happened in the NHS, through unpublished Cabinet papers and interviews with policy makers, and are related to changes in the political environment. It analyzes the 1989 Government White Paper in the context of the social, economic and political environment and it argues that with the transformation of society, resulting from technological, social and economic changes, the transformation of health care in Britain is inevitable.;It is considered ideal for students and scholars of modern history, economics, sociology and welfare studies as well as for the general reader.