Health and social policy

Abstract

Problems in health care planning and delivery are part of the political economy of all modern industrial nations regardless of the financing mechanisms used, regardless of the degree of regulation attempted, regardless of the "health of the nation", regardless of consumer involvement and regardless of ideology. Together with rising demands, and cost, inequality of access to health care exists; there is a maldistribution of health care personnel; there is limited co-ordination and little incentive for co-ordination between health and social services; and consumer activity in health care is not strong.