This new textbook opens up the policy-making process for students, uncovering how government decisions around health are really made. Starting from more traditional insights into how ministers and civil servants develop policy with limited knowledge and money, the book goes on to challenge the conception of policy as a rational process, revealing it to be something quite different. Knee-jerk reactions to disasters, keeping voters satisfied, the powerful leverage of interest groups, and the skewing of debate through ideology and the media are each considered in turn. These processes render policy far from rational or at least require a much broader approach for considering policy logic , one that is open to different rationalities of values, norms and pragmatism. The book draws on historical and contemporary examples to highlight that though challenges to policy-makers may seem in some ways novel, in many senses key processes endure and indeed are rooted in historical contexts. Although the examples are drawn from UK health and social care, the book s theory-driven approach is applicable across national contexts especially for countries where uncertainty, risk and resource pressures create significant dilemmas for policy-makers. The book s multi-perspective, thematic approach will be especially relevant to students, as will the broad range of case study examples used. Making Health Policy will be essential reading for students of health policy, social policy, social work, and the sociology of medicine, health and illness.

This new textbook opens up the policy-making process for studentsuncovering how government decisions around health are really made.Starting from more traditional insights into how ministers andcivil servants develop policy with limited knowledge and money, thebook goes on to challenge the conception of policy as a rationalprocess, revealing it to be something quite different.Knee-jerk reactions to disasters, keeping voters satisfied, thepowerful leverage of interest groups, and the skewing of debatethrough ideology and the media are each considered in turn. Theseprocesses render policy far from rational or at least require amuch broader approach for considering policy 'logic'one that is open to different rationalities of values, norms andpragmatism. The book draws on historical and contemporary examplesto highlight that though challenges to policy-makers may seem insome ways novel, in many senses key processes endure and indeed arerooted in historical contexts. Although the examples are drawn fromUK health and social care, the book's theory-driven approachis applicable across national contexts D especially forcountries where uncertainty, risk and resource pressures createsignificant dilemmas for policy-makers.The book's multi-perspective, thematic approach will beespecially relevant to students, as will the broad range of casestudy examples used. Making Health Policy will be essentialreading for students of health policy, social policy, social workand the sociology of medicine, health and illness.

PrefaceIntroduction1. What is health policy?Part 1 Rationality in policy making2. Trying to achieve rational health policy: the search for appropriate knowledge and expertise3. The competition for money and the limits of instrumental rationality4. Power and influence in policy making: Policy communities and networks5. The pressure of events: Disasters, inquiries and the dynamics of blamePart 2 The limits of rationality in policy making6. Identifying health and social problems: Competition between interest groups and claims making7. How does the nature of modern democracy shape the formation of health policy?8. Ideology and policy: legitimating, bounding and framing9. The impact of the media on health policy makingPart 3 Conclusion10. So how and why are health policies made? Some final commentsReferences