The privatisation of Medicare and the National Health Service, and the global marketisation of healthcare systems

Over recent decades, the healthcare sectors of many countries, both developed and developing, have been fundamentally restructured by two events: the re-direction of government policy toward the privatisation of publicly-funded institutions, and a new interest in strategic investment from the corporate sector in health services and products. Some might regard this radical change as bringing forth the possibility of greater effi ciency and increased patient 'choice'. Others are less optimistic, seeing privatisation as a threat to the large public institutions providing services and protecting the rights of the under-privileged; undermining the capacity of the nation state to continue to plan, monitor and regulate the health needs of the population; cutting the hard-won working conditions of health and medical workers; and removing the access of patients to free or subsidised, high quality healthcare services. This volume is one small attempt to understand privatisation, and make sense of these diametrically opposed views.