Book Review: The Health Debate

In this accessible text David Hunter explores some central contemporary debates about health systems and the influences of such discussion on their evolution.

The book focuses on several themes which explore the funding and organisation of healthcare systems, examining in chapters one and three the elements contributing to private and public arrangements and reform initiatives.

Chapter four presents an in-depth exploration of health as a market-style consumer good, discussing the implications of choice and competition. Other main themes consider how health systems prioritise or ration healthcare, the balance between “health” and “healthcare” and the surrounding debate.

This informative and insightful text covers the challenges facing health systems and presents a rationale of meeting such challenges. Hunter discusses all the interrelated factors, from politics and government agenda to NHS management and models of health.

The Health Debate is part of a series of books published by Policy Press under the umbrella “Policy and politics in the 21st century”, which centre on contemporary policy issues ranging from education to pensions.

This book is ideal for anyone with an interest in health policy, health systems development and the wider health agenda. The text is easy to read and well structured throughout, ensuring that it is a useful resource for all students of health, health professionals, policy makers and strategy developers.

The Health Debate, by David J Hunter, Policy Press 2008