Government and the NHS : time for a new relationship? / Steve Dewar.

"Government and the NHS: Time for a New Relationship? probes the conceptual and practical challenges - as well as the potential benefits - of arm's-length governance for the NHS. It reviews past arguments, and considers how a contemporary 'arm's-length' NHS agency, accountable to Parliament, could work with government to improve health care. The paper concludes that this new relationship could help make the NHS more accountable, encourage a more transparent and inclusive approach to setting national health policy, and create greater ownership of targets by NHS staff. It could also liberate government from a narrow focus on health care, to engage with important issues such as the impact of poverty, environment, food, housing and education to health. It will be invaluable reading for policy-makers, academics and general readers interested in the respective roles of government, Parliament and professionals in building modern systems of devolved governance and public service accountability."--From cover.