This post is the second half of a two-part series by guest blogger Kate Thomson which explores proposed changes to the National Health Service in England.The first post provides useful background information (particularly for those living outside the UK) on these proposed changes. In this post, Kate explains in greater detail the areas of reform which are of greatest contention. Kate is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Public Health at Birmingham City University and is currently researching health reforms in the Russian Federation.

In the first of a two-part series, guest blogger Kate Thomson provides helpful background on the proposed reforms to the NHS, as embodied in the Health and Social Care Bill. Also outlined are the major concerns and debates surrounding the Bill. Kate is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Public Health at Birmingham City University and is currently researching health reforms in the Russian Federation.

In a guest post, Craig Parker, discusses the right to health debate taking place in South Africa. Do we all really have the right to health and what does this right really mean? Over the last few weeks this debate has been a focus of a pro-business South African newspaper. Swinging between public health advocates [...]

Medical care institutions are the typical target of health system reform. While these institutions can and do improve the quality of life of sick individuals, they do little to prevent or resolve major chronic problems like cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Research from public health shows that efforts focused on behavioral change or lifestyle interventions are [...]