Who Decides Who Decides?

John Spiers, Philip Booth, Neil Russel

'John Spiers' detailed yet fluent book demonstrates how we can achieve better healthcare for all by harnessing the one economic system that we know is effective in allocating resources efficiently and delivering individuals and families the goods and services they need and want. As well as being of obvious value to those involved in the policy process, this book will be very useful in the world of medical and management education (particularly on MBA courses for those involved in hospital management, and on MA and MSc courses in public sector management) and also for students and teachers of economics-related courses.'From the Foreword by Professor Philip Booth, Institute of Economic Affairs'John Spiers has the gift of presenting complex ideas clearly. This makes this book a challenging offering to current public policy debates.' Professor Michael Connolly, University of Glamorgan 'Wonderful read. As John Spiers shows in this sprightly,erudite, concise book, when you ask the right questions, you get the right answers. He asks what a patient-centred health care system should look like and comes up with novel and pragmatic answers.' Professor Regina E Herzlinger, Harvard Business School 'This detailed and robust publication will help you unravel the political, social and economic influences that shape and guide healthcare provision... Offers erudite analysis that provides food for thought' NURSING STANDARD 'The discussion in this book is of considerable importance...makes a strong and important case for helping individuals make choices, based on the provision of information with which to make those choices...This book provides compelling information on the shortcomings of Britain's National Health System and will give those outside of Britain pause to consider whether this system is one that should be emulated...the need to fix a "broken" system is critical. This book provides an important set of ideas and policies that have implications beyond the British healthcare system.' DOODY'S REVIEW SERVICE "A very interesting book...will be a useful addition to academic libraries and also as a resource in local clinical practice areas." Journal of Community Nursing

• Contents Includes: Why choice? Two concepts of order. Six policy recommendations. The present reforms ‘coherent and right’? What are politicians for? Cancer and “the efficiency myth”. The ‘choice agenda’ and the problem of knowledge. Between the data and the deep blue sea. Coercion, contagion, learning, coaching. My body, but your decision? ‘Concordat’, and shared decision-making. Culture, kultur, and permission to change.