The Health Care Policy Process

"The key to improving health services in many countries today is the capacity to develop strategy and think actively about policy. The Health Care Policy Process considers the relationship between planning and policy, taking as its starting point an analysis of health care and the dynamics of the policy process. The author provides a working knowledge of the different ways policy issues can be analysed and sets out the problems involved in assessing the views of different interest groups. She stresses the importance of supporting an active process of policy development." "Carol Barker goes on to look at key concepts in analysing health care issues and examines some of the debates over-shadowing today's health policy agenda, as set by international agencies and by developing nations. She emphasises the importance of understanding these issues as an aid to strategic thinking on policy implications in health care. An important focus of the book is an analysis of the extent to which policies can be changed or influenced by those involved in the process."--BOOK JACKET.