What is it about?
The article reviews three published books which each concern the competing norms in respect of government discourse and policy in respect of the English NHS. Margaret McCartney's book 'The State of Medicine: Keeping the Promise of the NHS' concerns the founding principles of the NHS (residual norms) which continue to be articulated in government discourse, but which are being undermined in practice. Calum Paton's book 'The Politics of Health Policy Reform in the UK' contains an account of how neo-liberal ideology (dominant norms) have informed recent government reforms. The Katherine Smith et al (eds) book 'Health Inequalities: Critical Perspectives' concerns the emergent norm of reducing health inequalities.
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Why is it important?
My analysis demonstrates how the three reviewed books illuminate the competing norms (residual, dominant and emergent) in respect of health and healthcare within England.
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This page is a summary of: The sociology of health and the NHSMcCartneyMargaret, The State of Medicine: Keeping the Promise of the NHS, Pinter & Martin: London, 2016; 272 pp.: ISBN: 9781780664002, £9.99 (pbk)PatonCalum, The Politics of Health Policy Reform in the UK: England’s P..., The Sociological Review, March 2017, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0038026117701326.
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