From Consumerism to Partnership? Britain's National Health Service at the Turn of the Century

Abstract

It has been argued that “consumerism” has been one of the main influences on health policy in many countries over the last decade or so. This article focuses on the role of consumerism in U.K. health policy during this period through the introduction of changes in National Health Service provision such as introduction of the quasi-market, creation of the new managerialism, and new organizational structures set up under the recent Labour government. It considers the consequences of these changes for the users of health care and for citizenship rights, in particular the extent to which the changes have empowered these users and citizens.