Summary of content

This module analyses how healthcare policy and practice in Britain was formulated and contested amongst healthcare professionals, patients, pressure groups and the state over the course of the twentieth century. Adopting a thematic approach within a loosely chronological framework, the module explores the ideological motivations underpinning health interventions and health activism against the backdrop of war, politics, changing economic fortunes and shifting social and cultural values. Attention is paid to the ways in which notions of rights and responsibilities, and perceptions of class, disability, age and gender, have influenced healthcare policy, generating new sites of health activism. Focussing on efforts to secure nationwide state health services, the module evaluates the strategies adopted by different groups seeking to influence the nature, scope and operation of these services, exploring why some groups were more successful than others in securing their objectives. It asks whether the proliferation of groups campaigning on health issues promoted democracy and health equality, and examines the changing relationship between patients and practitioners.

Module structure

Assessment methods