Calum Paton Books

Analyzing the evolution of health policy reform in the UK from the 1980s to 2022, the book delves into the implications of the 'new integration' of the NHS since 2015, critiques the UK's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, and discusses the challenges posed by Brexit and social care. Grounded in political science, it offers fresh insights and significant new material on recent developments, making it an essential resource for students, academics, and policymakers interested in the complexities of health services politics.

The book explores the intricate relationship between political economy and health policy, specifically addressing the challenges faced by the National Health Service. It highlights how the existing political regime influences health policy and critiques the issues of 'policy overload' that lead to contradictions and confusion, complicating effective implementation. Through this analysis, the author sheds light on the root causes of current health policy problems, offering a timely examination of the intersection between politics and healthcare.

This book explains the politics of thirty years of ‘market reform’ in the English NHS, with the rest of the UK a counter-factual. Paton shows how each subsequent reform has been shaped by the confusion left by the previous reform. The long-term ideology has been anti-statist but policy-making at each stage of ‘reform’ has been driven by short-term politics. The outcome in England has been ever-increasing complexity in the NHS, with significantly increased management costs and no commensurate benefit.